And think you are losing your mind!? I have been caring for my mom for 6 years, and have to hide everything, my bedroom had turned into a storage unit, which adds to my own stress. She had no memory of having done so. If I were to keep bills, keys cell phone ect.. out I can spend days trying to find them. I wiil say I just set that down 5 mins ago, where is it. The stess is constant, and lately everything is frustating me. I am tired all the time. Who of you are dealing with this issue?
Thanks for listening Jaz
My mum touches everything and hides everything... It always amazes me how quickly she can move or undo things, I fold a basket of washing and if I don't put it away within 10 seconds it is all unfolded and hidden around the house.
A friend gave us a box of walnuts off her tree and I continued to find them hidden all over the place for months...in my slippers, my car, inside pillows, hidden behind shampoo in the bathroom...I had to laugh in the end.
I find the best way to deal with it is to put anything important/ paperwork etc in a locked cabinet .
I have her bedroom very basic, just her bed, table and photos on the wall, with just a few things of hers on her bedside table . You will find that most of the time they have specific places where they hide things for " safety ". As mums room is uncluttered it is easy for me to find what she may have hidden.
Mostly she stashes things under her pillow, behind her door or under her bedside table or in her handbag or pockets.
I also have out a basket in her room with some cards people have sent her and nic nacs which she loves to rummage through.
I have had to put a lock on the dressing room as she would constantly get clothes and shoes out and put them in these places in her room- it was constant and stressing me out.
Now she doesn't even try to go into the dressing room unless I go in to help her get dressed as she knows it is locked.
Also I reccomend you check bins before putting the rubbish out... I found a diamond ring in our kitchen bin once!
Good luck!
In addition, every piece of furniture, etc., can be a "stash" place. We have just had to keep checking furniture, bed, trash cans, for anything inappropriately "stashed."
Yes, it is trying on the nerves and I sometimes lose patience. She swore to me the other day that I messed up her meds box because she should be taking the larger about of pills in the A.M. I explained, again, that if the blue pill is in the slot it is ALWAYS morning meds. She had skipped two doses, ( morning) because she thought the wrong ones came out. Also she has two sleeping pills in her night meds. If I call and she's sleeping I know she manipulated her med dispenser to get the night meds. UGH! She knows I'm doing all I can to help her and I admit when I'm wrong and she is right. She needs to trust me.
I gave her back a 3.5 carat diamond ring she gave me before her greedy husband died, but in a week she had probably hide it for we can't find it. I suspect when we move her we'll find it, don't think anyone in the retirement home would keep it.
So yes, moving, hiding, even giving away things I have bought for her is a problem. I need a lot of prayer to do this! Best wishes.
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