Any advice for dwelling on going to the bathroom?

Posted by sheila07 @sheila07, Sep 9, 2024

My Mother In Law with dementia dwells on using the bathroom even without having a UTI. We took her to the fair in a wheel chair and she just looks for bathrooms. After taking her (in which she didn’t let anything out)and we start pushing her again she starts looking for the next bathroom. What doesn’t make sense is when driving sometimes she can go 1-2 hours without thinking about it but if we are anywhere with bathrooms she will say she has to go anywhere from 5-20 minutes. She also does this all night long, she will get up and go every 5-20 minutes. There has been times she just went and walks out of the bathroom (with walker) takes about 10 steps and turns around and says oh maybe I better go to the bathroom. It seems like she doesn’t really need to go but just forgets she went or sees a bathroom and thinks oh I better go while I’m here. If we say we are going somewhere she will go 2-3 times within 5-10 minutes before leaving so it’s not a matter of having to go, I feel it’s in her head and she dwells on it.Is this a common issue with anyone else?

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celia16 | @celia16 | Sep 17, 2024

It can be frustrating. Based on my experience with my cousin, I learned that with her reminders didn’t work. I suppose it depends on the degree of progression, but at a certain point, the signals get mixed up.

I could write out big bold letters on a sign in the toilet, right at face level that said PRESS BELL FOR HELP, with bell right beside it, but she would sit for an hour needing help, because the message didn’t process in her mind. She could read the sign aloud to me, but she couldn’t put it into action. Eventually, the person becomes unable to process the signals to the bladder or bowel. Often walking is affected too.