I have tried many types of bandages and other covers and she always can get them off so that she can "pick".
She does the same thing with her "Stat-Loc" that holds her catheter in place, usually it is pulled off in 24 to 48 hours. When I ask her what happened to it, she says "It fell off?"
Any help with either or both of these ongoing problems would be of great help.
Yes, all of her doctors are well aware of this. as this is not something new but has been going on as long as we have been married, 37 years last month,
I alternate A & D ointment with another petroleum jelly product. If the areas become inflamed, I also add an antibiotic ointment.
She is not delusional as yet, but with vascular dementia that may well be in the future.
She has been being treated by a psychiatrist since our second year of marriage and is on several Psych meds for her depression, anxiety, and bipolar disorder.
I have tried many different fiidget blankets, dolls, stuffed animals, and other homemade items.
Different types of dressings have not proved to be a long lasting solution. She usually pulls them off within 2 to 4 hours.
OCD seems like a solid diagnoses brought on by anxiety.
Reminding her or posting notes only makes her mad and increases the problems.
I am not trying to put down all of your suggestions and as you can see, I have tried most if not all. I will continue to see if someone has anything that I have not tried.
Thanks for all of you great replies. Although you have not been able to help me, you may well have helped others who visit the site regularly but never post questions or answers.
We are talking about a woman, who with only one hand, non-dominate, has pulled her catheter loose from the bag at least 5 times.
Also many nights she tears her diaper and/or disposal pads apart to the point that the floor looks like it snowed during the night.
White cotton gloves? - though I expect she'll just take them off, won't she.
No, you can't tie her hands up. Tempting; but not so much "unorthodox" as "will have APS on your doorstep before you've finished the second knot."
My next step is to take her to the doctor for perhaps some anti-anxiety medicine.
You can buy your wife a fidget blanket on Amazon here & hope for the best:
https://www.amazon.com/s?k=alzheimers+fidget+blanket&ref=nb_sb_noss
"Keep their skin well moisturized and hydrated by ensuring a adequate water intake. Applying tissue oils not only facilitates healing, it also makes it difficult to pick or scratch because it makes the skin slippery. Keep their nails short."
Here is an article on the subject with suggestions for distracting activities to keep her from picking:
https://www.mind-start.com/When-Picking-at-Things-Becomes-an-Issue-with-Alzheimers_b_158.html
Asking your wife questions about why she's doing what she's doing isn't going to get you a reasonable answer. The ability to use logic & reason is gone when a person is suffering from dementia, so all you can do is try to distract her. Call the doctor for advice as well, naturally, but I've never found much help from my mother's group, to be honest.
Good luck!
I Usually write big notes 4 of more, stating
Mom Do not pick at your wounds or skin, etc etc,
Then I tape it or frame it to the walls, I know it sounds crazy But believe me it works most of the time.
Good luck:
Sounds like she needs more supervised care.
While some kind of gloves might prevent the skin/scab picking, the catheter is a different story. If you search for the following, there are special "mitts" that would prevent or limit her ability to mess with either:
gloves to prevent dementia skin picking
I have a tendency to scrape off scabs as well... What I found works best with SMALL areas is actually chapstick. Various lotions and bacitracin initially seem to help, but despite reapplication as needed, it still forms more of a dried skin/scab. The chapstick doesn't - I still have to reapply it several times, but it works so much better! Again, this would only work on small areas. For larger areas lotions and a covering along with the special mitts might help with your wife.
As others have mentioned, find something she can do with her hands to divert her attention.
Just make one using a small piece of matetial or a baby blanket and sew/ attach things in it that she can touch, feel, full with.
As far as scabs. Just keep the sore creamed up and it will heel without being scabed over.
I hope your wife feels more comfortable, very soon.
I only ask because it sounds a lot like Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD).
If this is the case, a visit with a qualified mental health professional might be in order.
Just a guess, but it is possible she may be suffering a neurosis called dermatillomania, a condition that's somewhat similar to obsessive-compulsive disorder and it would be highly advised you seek medical help. If a physical cause has been ruled out by her doctor, she may need to see a therapist. One such intervention is behavior therapy such as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT)
Scratching leads to more scratching. It gets itchier and itchier until it become addictive.
The picking may also be somewhat instinctive, especially if she has a hard time healing. When wounds are in a non-healing cycle, sometimes the medical treatment is actually having a nurse or doctor pick the scab for you— this is wound debridement.
So to address of these causes, before bed, put pure bacitracin on her wounds. It is greasy like petroleum jelly so it will relieve the pulling skin tightness and discomfort. It works better than neosporin and is less expensive. It will also aid in healing while she sleeps so it may get her farther along the not-yet-healing/picking cycle. Cover with a bandaid to prevent it from all ending up on the sheets.
Doing the day, give her tasks that keep her hands busy. Painting something, sorting something, drawing or coloring, folding laundry. You have to “retrain” her from going back to the scratching as entertainment.
out of his body. Just an idea. Good luck!