smoking problem

ethel

Registered User
Jan 14, 2012
14
0
devon
Hi, I havent been on here for quite a while but I am always reading the posts from you all with great interest. My Mum who is 89 lives with us and has had dementia for 5 yrs, the short term memory is getting very bad.My biggest problem is that although she has smoked for over 50 yrs she is becoming obsessed with it. I have tried just giving her a couple at a time but them she keeps hounding me for more so i give her another pkt and as you have guessed she just sits and smokes one after the other.I know i have to go out and get them with her money but I worry that i get so angry and losing my patience. Has anyone come across a similar situation? As a safety thing I do take them away from her at night time !!
 

Not so Rosy

Registered User
Nov 30, 2013
578
0
My Dad was a chain smoker when he still lived at home. I don't think he could remember just having had one, so lit another. I was buying him about 60 a day because if I didn't it all kicked off. The Fire Brigade made sure there were plenty of fire alarms installed and provided flame proof throws for the sofas and chairs. Thankfully he never smoked upstairs.
 

Tin

Registered User
May 18, 2014
4,820
0
UK
I had the same problem with my mum, when she first moved in with me I think she was having 30 a day and it seemed like I was always going to the shop for her supply. This was all very strange to me because for most of her life she was a secret smoker probably only 5 a day, but when my dad died this increased and then Dementia. A lot of the time all she would do is light up and put out over and over, so I started to buy cheaper cigarettes. Then I had to take control of the pack and the lighter, because I had noticed a few burns on her clothes and she was leaving 1 or 2 lit in the ashtray. We have tried E cigarettes, but she kept asking me to light it or when finished would throw it in the fire, prescription patches have not worked.

With perseverance and not giving in to her, we are now at the stage where she has only 10 a day if that, although some days when afternoon sundowning she does have more.

Its hard and I so know what you are going through.
 

ethel

Registered User
Jan 14, 2012
14
0
devon
My Dad was a chain smoker when he still lived at home. I don't think he could remember just having had one, so lit another. I was buying him about 60 a day because if I didn't it all kicked off. The Fire Brigade made sure there were plenty of fire alarms installed and provided flame proof throws for the sofas and chairs. Thankfully he never smoked upstairs.

Thank you for your reply nice to know i am not the only one who has had these problems
 

ethel

Registered User
Jan 14, 2012
14
0
devon
I had the same problem with my mum, when she first moved in with me I think she was having 30 a day and it seemed like I was always going to the shop for her supply. This was all very strange to me because for most of her life she was a secret smoker probably only 5 a day, but when my dad died this increased and then Dementia. A lot of the time all she would do is light up and put out over and over, so I started to buy cheaper cigarettes. Then I had to take control of the pack and the lighter, because I had noticed a few burns on her clothes and she was leaving 1 or 2 lit in the ashtray. We have tried E cigarettes, but she kept asking me to light it or when finished would throw it in the fire, prescription patches have not worked.

With perseverance and not giving in to her, we are now at the stage where she has only 10 a day if that, although some days when afternoon sundowning she does have more.

Its hard and I so know what you are going through.

Thank You for your reply