My dad has been in a memory care facility for 13 months now. To my knowledge there has been no problem with incontinence. About 2 months ago he started peeing in odd places in his room, like his garbage can, in his closet, and on the side of his recliner. One day I was visiting and I think he was getting ready to pee right on his bed, and I distracted him and then suggested he walk into his bathroom. Is this normal?
(When you add up all the different cognitive steps involved, there are quite a lot and they have to be maintained throughout the whole process. Feeling urgency. Recalling appropriate response. Remembering bathroom location. Locating bathroom. Adjusting dress. Peeing. Paperwork as necessary. Readjusting dress.)
It might be worth reporting the change in behaviour and seeing if anything can be done - signage, lighting - to help him pick his time and place!
Does he also not recognize familiar objects? not pick up a fork in the usual way? It may also be that he can no longer perceive what is, and is not, a toilet.
Dementia often has this effect, somewhere along the way. Sorry.
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