Lately my Mom seems to be packing her stuff like she is going somewhere. Is this normal?
Sometimes she packs her bags and puts on the bed... When I ask her where she is going? She says aren't we going somewhere, or I thought I was going somewhere. Other times when she puts her bags on the bed, I ask her why she did that and her response is I like it there. She also seems to be accumulating obsolete items like finished cereal bags, washes them, folds them up to keep. I asked her what she was doing and she said she wanted it because she likes it. I told her that if she needed a bag here is a freezer ziploc bag instead, but use it, don't just take it and look at it or put it away somewhere. Oh and also she is constantly rearranging items and every time she does that she can't remember where she put things and why she moved them to begin with...This is my first time caring for an older adult...is this a normal part of dementia? And is there anything I can do to stop the behavior?
Saving bags or other conservation efforts are normal. This is the "past" that become present for elders -- war time saving and re-purposing that was common in that time period, or even depression era mentality.
Moving things, hiding things and forgetting where they are or claiming YOU or someone else stole them is common. My mom does this constantly. We just go find them together if she will allow.
Packing. My mom did this last year. She had fantasized about going on a short trip and that an imaginary friend was picking her up to go away a few days. She packed a bag and talked about it but couldn't answer all the details "where, who, hoe long". It was disconcerting, but now I understand more and let her go with it. Sometimes she will describe her "trip" in great detail, where they stopped to eat, beaches, deserts, etc. I listen as they are fascinating stories. She and dad were big travelers and I know she misses it. So, sometimes that part of her mind still triggers and I'm happy knowing she is still taking trips, if only in her mind.
My point is, you don't know where or what time period they happen to be in in their mind at that moment. If she is safe and not wandering away, go ahead a nd go with it. Maybe even jump in the car and go for a drive to the park, mountains, scenic parkway, stop for lunch and then return home. Sometimes that small adventure is enough and satisfies that brief "wanderlust". I do this with mom when I'm there. We don't go anywhere in particular and stay close by as she's always happy to be back in familiar surroundings.
I let her do it every day and then together we put it all away because she says she does not know how it all got out and was such a mess, then the next day she starts all over. sometimes she looks like a bag lady she has things stuffed in pillow cases and sweatshirts .
The most difficult time has been dealing with her checkbook. I had to take it away as she would hide it and then we would have to search the house for it and she was very angry with me that it was lost, accusing me of mishandling of it. Telling her I will not give it back to her evokes anger but I just cannot spend every day searching the house. I gave her a check book cover and update the log book with all expenditures but she will still periodically have a tantrum over wanting her checks back in her book.... I just say "I am sorry but I cannot do that" and try to change the subject.
Your Mom will go through a lot of changes, if they are too disruptive you may be able to get medication that can help. My mother was not on medication until recently when her actions became too much to handle. The medications have calmed her down and we are able to handle the situations much easier.
You will never be able to stop her of all the things she may do. She is reliving her past, so don't worry too much.
God Bless You