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Pooping and spot checking
I titled the topic pooping but any bathroom issues are included.
My husband has been having issues w the bathroom for awhile. He has rituals like first flushing the toilet, then adding toilet paper and flushing again - before he has done anything. Then he sits down and may poop a little but gets up and comes out and says I’m not done. He may go back several times before he is done.,
If we have a place to go it’s not so bad. He goes and we are out the door. But when he is home he may be in and out several times.
I also notice he puts his hand in to help himself and I’ll see poop on the toilet paper roll. He does wash his hands and cleans the toilet and sink and whatever.
But it’s getting weirder.
Recently both toilets overflowed because of all the toilet paper ge puts in. Plunging and dawn detergent worked but I had to tell him not to put toilet paper in until after and just for wiping.
With peeing he does ok but recently also has a couple accidents because I think he got confused about his pants. They can’t have belts or ties just elastic slip on.
We are not using depends yet.
But I now have to deal with the reality that we are dealing with apraxia - and found this article on an earlier thread.
https://makedementiayourbitch.com/dementia-poop-how-to-avoid-accidents-and-stop-smearing/
At this point he still ok when he is out or at daycare.
I’d like to know what others are dealing with, how you are handling it etc.
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@maryvc
Thank you for that article, I found it very informative.
I'm not sure what my husband's ritual is when he's on the toilet, but he uses a lot of toilet paper, most being flushed and some is just pulled off and set aside. Just yesterday, I was thinking how proficient I've become with a toilet plunger.
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7 Reactionshow about not leaving a whole roll, but tear off and leave just enough for use but not clogging?
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3 ReactionsCoincidentally, 84-year old hubby had an “accident” today that he was totally unaware of but left poop on the bathroom floor and tracked it out into the hallway. He is definitely slowing down mentally and physically but not to the MCI phase. He has had a nasty cough/cold/general malaise since just after Christmas which is responding to treatment. But he noticed the poop on the floor was black and that was something the doctor asked him about last week (phone call) when he prescribed. So I have put in a call to the doctor. With all his health problems I know things are not going to get lots better as time goes on, just hope the anticipated decline is further, rather than closer, in the future.
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4 ReactionsMy husband also goes through toilet paper quickly and when he forgets to flush has backed up the sewer drain to the point that the upstairs shower couldn't drain leading to a back up of the downstairs toilet and shower drain. I had to call a plumber on the night of the last game of the World Series and pay over $600 to have the drains snaked out all the way to the street which took two hours. He is able to wipe himself for bowel movements but sometimes not sufficiently so that there is poop on the toilet seat. I try to catch him when he is sitting down and stay close to make sure he washes his hands after he is done and to clean the toilet seat if necessary. Wiping many times is I think the result of short term memory loss: Did I wipe? or not. Better make sure and wipe again. Also fine motor dexterity decreases with dementia so the ability to wipe efficiently can be part of the problem. My husband has been using absorbent pads since his prostatectomy years ago. It was an easy switch to Depends. I keep them in the cabinet drawer next to the toilet where he can easily change them himself-If he remembers!
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3 ReactionsSo tonight he had another peeing accident. I helped him with a shower and while in there pooped and picked up the poop- this another thing he has done. Stuck his hand in the toilet to pick up the poop and wrap it. I have to say, I’m a nurse but this is very hard for me. And I know it’s hard for him.
He decided to try the depends.
He is 78 but I think progressing by the day
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2 ReactionsI have two family members with potty issues. Wifey has taken to spend 30-minutes 'going' and I have to ask, "Are you okay?" And noticed she doesn't flush. (What's that about?) The other family member is a 7-month old Terrier, who is good at going outside, but occasionally still finds favorite spots inside the house. And then he just has way too much fun with a new roll of Charmin.
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3 ReactionsWhat you're experiencing would be very difficult. Feel for ya. Hope you get some time-outs for your own health benefits.
@maryvc
I wonder if anyone has had any luck with one of those toilets that washes and dries you after you go?
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3 ReactionsThose bidet/toilets are way too complicated for someone with dementia to master, I'm afraid. I wrote out very simple instructions and taped them to the wall next to the controls, which have little abstract drawings instead of words. To my knowledge, my husband, who still is basically okay with toileting, has never used the wash/dry function. It's too foreign to him. I do think he likes the warm toilet seat, though!
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3 ReactionsWe have had a bidet seat for years and my husband loved it and used it everyday. Now it’s like his phone or the tv remote- too complicated and foreign, you are so right.
I put my husband on the memory care waiting list today at our community. It was an excruciating decision but I somehow feel at peace.
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