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A few details:
He is on hospice, bedridden, declining, forgetful, bored.
His cognitive decline is such that you can tell him over and over and over and it is all new to him the next time you tell him.
He doesn’t have dementia


He cannot remember that he must leave the patch securing the catheter tubing to his leg alone.
He continually thinks it is time for catheter to come out and that he can do that.
I caught him at 2 a.m. with the patch almost off.
Because of the time, I am not reaching out to our hospice nurse.
Just wondering what ideas you all have about deterrents.
Thanks.

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MIL has a Foley catheter. She also pulls hers out. We have tried writing on the tape do not touch. The thing we found that worked best was wearing tighter pants so she could t get at it as easy. Good luck! It is a challenge
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Ask the hospice nurse to have a good look at everything and make sure there's no irritation or soreness. All being well the catheter should be almost unnoticeable, and with ordinary bedwear on FIL will have no occasion to fidget with it.

You're right that the patch (called a stat-lock) needs to stay in place. Making sure that it's comfortably positioned, by checking out how FIL normally lies for example, is key.
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utahpilot2 Nov 2021
Thanks!
I communicated with the RN this morning. She has some ideas.
And the CNA has been doing this for 25 years. I expect she has ideas too.

Unfortunately, he only wears his diaper and a T-shirt. So the stat-lock (thanks 👍) is easy to access.

I think he has left the tubing to the catheter alone.

The stat-lock is on top of his thigh, as he lays on his back 100% of the time.

I was trying to think of other things I could give him to fidget with.

Thanks again.
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From your profile: "I have been caring for my 93-year-old father-in-law, who refused PT after a few tiny strokes left him weak, for 2 1/2 years. My husband is 71 and pursues many outside interests. So the care of my FIL and all of our household duties rests on me."

How about going to stay with someone to let your H take care of HIS father?

How did it happen that YOU are the one who is doing all of the caregiving?
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utahpilot2 Nov 2021
The short answer is: it is what it is.
thank you for your thought.
I am kind of a mouse.
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