Hiding things

[liveoaks]

Hi everyone. I'm new to this forum and pretty new to being the primary caregiver for my wife, who has Alzheimer's. She's recently taken to hiding things (especially our TV remotes) and we can't find them. Does anyone have any strategies for dealing with this?

At first she would just put it under the sofa cushions for the gathering space, then sometime in the drawers of the kitchen. For the bedroom it would be under the pillows, then in one of here dresser drawers, it always moves to a different place.  

No matter which TV if she sees a remote she will do something with it.  Lately it has often been in her pocket book.  

She does not understand that the remotes are not interchangeable from one to the other.  Names have been written on them but does not help.  She will go to another room to get one when the one she has hidden cannot be found.

I tried putting a "click it" remote on the bedroom remote but it quit working, but I may try a new one.  There is no good way to fasten anything to these remotes, am considering trying to epoxy a ring to them and then attach the "click it". The "click it" is a device that looks like a car remote but emits a noise when you press the master device.

[TheLightSeeker]

This information has been around for years. And very credible!
I want to caution everyone, that coconut oil IS medicine!!!
Anti-fungal, anti-parasitic, anti-protozoal, anti-microbial, anti-viral...
Please, when starting such treatment, only 1 tablespoon daily for the first week is recommended!
Otherwise there's great possibility of strong die-off effects from a higher dose,which might be confused with intolerance or allergy, causing perhaps a discontinuation of such a fundamental and effective treatment.

Ketonic type of diets based on coconut oil are using much higher quantities-but please gradually build up to tolerance, adding 1T weekly.

I have been studying, using and recommending extra virgin coconut oil
forever! lol!  And not only for Alzheimer's Disease.
There are over 350 uses!
Any questions, please ask me.

Cheers!
Niko

[toourlady89]

Sorry, I meant to send this message to you.
Hi Just wondering if you ever tried the Virgin Coconut Oil for Alzheimers. There was this Lady Doctor whose husband has Alzheimer's.  She said she gave him VCO 1 tbsp 3 x a day and he improved. His improvement was documented with tests. It was in the news and it will be on Google if its something you might wanna try. Search: Dr. Newport and her
husband in the use of Virgin Coconut Oil to Alzheimer's and Dementia.
Your wife is very blessed for having you.

[toourlady89]

Hi Just wondering if you ever tried the Virgin Coconut Oil for Alzheimers. There was this Lady Doctor whose husband has Alzheimer's.  She said she gave him VCO 1 tbsp 3 x a day and he improved. His improvement was documented with tests. It was in the news and it will be on Google if its something you might wanna try. Search: Dr. Newport and her
husband in the use of Virgin Coconut Oil to Alzheimer's and Dementia.
Your wife is very blessed for having you.

[heartfluttersflyawayplz]

by the way i live in GA to

[heartfluttersflyawayplz]

I like how you ended  as i walk this journey, thats just what it is, a journey you are going to take your mom threw, and you will need to take each step with her , you will learn to go into her world as it will be a lot better for her and you. lot less stress if you go with her and dont try to fight her .
she knows no better sad to say and its hard to see someone whos full grown and you know she knows better but does it anyways, its hard to get it into your head that she really cant help it, my dad had the hardest time with that and they would fight about her doing things like , washing her depends in the washer , she thought they needed to be washed like all her other clothes.
they just dont understand , so you will need to go into her world and see it threw her eyes.   i did that with mom and it helped me to understand how she felt, made me so sad but i could help her in her journey.   always here to talk and help if we can. ........ Heart

[liveoaks]

heartfluttersflyawayplz,

WOW what a handle, LIKE IT!

Thank goodness she has not yet taken a liking to hand sanitizer.  

The pocket book became an obsession about 9 months ago.  I am no longer surprised with what she has put in it -- never the same things.  Yes the phone and remote are favorites to go into that feminine accessory.  Shoes and pruning shears have also found their way into her pocketbook.

Thanks for your support as I walk this journey.

[liveoaks]

Nikodicreta,

Appreciate your suggestions.  I have locked the remotes in a box and give out one at a time, of course it get hidden but at least it is only one.  Also going to put "click it" on each and hopefully will help to find as it will beep when you press the master.

Learned about 9 months ago to not comment just try and redirect with something unrelated.  Sometime it works and others ... just endure.  She still surprises all of us with what she does remember short term does not seem to be anything that distinguishes those events from others. Her doctor is fully on board with what is happening and we have adjusted meds several times.

Everyone told me about rest for me and getting out of it but it took me 16 months of 24/7 to realize I could not handle all and started getting outside help so I can take breaks.  Even though it is only several hours in a day it has made a big difference for both of us.

[liveoaks]

mandy876

I am learning just what a journey you went through with your Mom.  Every day is a bit different and I am always anxious to learn what new activity she undertakes today and that it may or may not happen again.

[liveoaks]

Rumpled,

thanks for your suggestions.   At this point she is too much aware of the remote and if it works to sub in a "dummy".  Actually tried that and she would have nothing to do with it.

I am resigned that this is something she is going to do no matter what.  I do plan to attach a "click it" to each remote to help find it.

[heartfluttersflyawayplz]

Good Sunday Morning, yes yes this is a big part of alzheimer's, mt mom did the same thing , seems like they are  scared someone is going to take it from them.

my mom has been gone 13 months almost and can you belive we are still finding her things, we so far have found a mothers ring out in the back yard, and another ring in a suit case in a pocket hid away. I think they feel safe if they can hid their things, even though they for get they did it and where its at.

there is no full proof of stoping this, unless you are with her 24/7 and we all know thats not going to happen.

we started taking the remote and putting it up when the tv was shut off, mom used to put the house phone in her purse thinking it was a cell phone, we had to always check her purse and she even put the tv remote in purse thinkng it was the phone.

if you say something to her it confuses her and might up set her , plus shes going do it again so you have to learn to treat her as a child when it comes to that but dont let her know your doing that.  we had to put up all meds/drugs in the house or mom would forget she took them.

mom would drink hand santizer  so we had to put that up, anything that a child should not have sitting on the floor next to them needs to be put away .

yes its not easy, we know we did it for 10 years of moms life but she was so worth it. would do it all over again just to have her here to smile at me now and than.

love your wife while you can, you need to get rest and eat good meals, you also need to get away time,   GOD BLESS YOU always her to talk ... Heart

[TheLightSeeker]

1. "Alzheimer-proof" the house. Just like child-proofing.
2. Lock the real remote in a cabinet-take it out only to use it.
At all times have old used ones around, bought from garage/yard sales as suggested by rumpled.
3. Get rid of all household items unused in the last 12 months, unless sentimental value. Provide reasonable and accessible hiding spots for her to hide things around the house, safely. It's OK for her to do this.
4. Avoid any type of heated discussions or anything that may aggravate her. And note that even your negative vibes may be sensed by her.
She still possesses an active energy field, despite her mental processing
decline.
5. Talk to her doctor about this situation.

Make sure, you get some support, as a care giver.
It's a great responsibility that can also "burn" you, if you do not take care of yourself. Things may get even more challenging, before the get any better.

Best wishes to you and your wife.
Niko

[mandy876]

I took care of my mom with alzeimers disease.  we went through a lot.  I had hospice to help.  she would leave water running, I  had to take the knobs off my stove she kept catching things on fire. she got out one night I did not hear her the next day the pastor from hospice came by I told him he put alock at the top of the screen she could not reach.  then he put a lock on the door that I could lock from the inside.  it was all for her safety.  she kept losing her mon ey.  she hid it everywhere.  some days we would look most of the days for it.  the last time she was in the hospital.  the doctor put her on buspar.  this helped it calmed her down a lot.  maybe you could ask the doctor about this drug.  good luck.  you are a very special man for taking care of your wife.  she is one lucky woman.  mandy876

[rumpled]

Unfortunately, this seems to be a stage and you cannot do anything. You can speak to her doctor to see if a change of meds may help, but likely this is just going to be a long phase of obsession.

There are universal remotes that are not too expensive. Get one or more of those and set up the TVs and hide the remotes yourself? Make sure remotes are out of her reach?

Buy old remotes on clearance for her to hide and play with? Distract her with music, games or puzzles?