Scratching & picking

sharoncookson

Registered User
Jun 10, 2015
3
0
My mum has vascular dementia now showing stages of Alzheimer's!
She keeps ripping and pulling at her arms and neck and forehead! We have bandaged arm up to stop and tried putting cotton mittens on to prevent!
My father has recently passed away so I've taken over caring between work and home!
Does anyone have good ideas to help stop this? Mum is visually impaired as well nearly blind so can't read or knit or anything
Any suggestions welcome
 

Risa

Registered User
Apr 13, 2015
479
0
Essex
Hi Sharon

If you do an internet search for "twiddle muff" or "fidget muff" these items might help your Mum to keep her hands busy. Haven't tried them for my Mum (yet) but for now sorting through her handbag keeps her amused for hours :)
 

Witzend

Registered User
Aug 29, 2007
4,283
0
SW London
There are 'fiddle' cushions you can buy (or make) with lots of different tactile bits and pieces attached, zips and whatnot, that some people find very good. Something like that might give her something else to do with her hands. Sorry, I can never remember how to do links on iPad but I'm sure someone here will be able to. If I recall correctly they are quite expensive but I don't think it would be too hard to copy one if you are any good at sewing.
 

marionq

Registered User
Apr 24, 2013
6,449
0
Scotland
If she has an itch then E45 Itch Relief cream and Skin so Soft moisturising spray from Avon are the two best treatments I have found for urticaria in my husband. This often wakes him up at night but both of these are a great help. Anti histamines are good too but not enough in themselves.
 

sharoncookson

Registered User
Jun 10, 2015
3
0
Thanks

We are now using E45 and bandaging arm up to stop, however when i take it off, she starts again!
I will search for the fiddle muffs things or make a small cusion with fiddly bits on it.

Thanks so much for the advise. We are trying to keep mum at home for as long as possible. It gets harder by the week.
Its great to have a place on here where i can ask advise and get tips.
Thanks All. Much appreciated x
 

dumpygirl

Registered User
Nov 20, 2013
115
0
derbyshire
scratching and picking

We are now using E45 and bandaging arm up to stop, however when i take it off, she starts again!
I will search for the fiddle muffs things or make a small cusion with fiddly bits on it.

Thanks so much for the advise. We are trying to keep mum at home for as long as possible. It gets harder by the week.
Its great to have a place on here where i can ask advise and get tips.
Thanks All. Much appr't eciated x

Just read your post and thought I would give you my experience with my husband.
He is always scratching his head (he is bald) and will fetch blood. I used to put germolene on and massage his scalp with olive oil but to no avail so today I took him to the doctors to see if we could get something to relieve the itching and dry the scabs up as he is going into respite on Saturday and I didn't want him to arrive there with a bleeding head and cause a problem for the carers. The doctor looked at his head with a magnifying glass and recommended a pad with iodine on it . I also got a prescription for Cetraben to rub into his scalp four times a day. It is what is used for many skin disorders. He is to keep the iodine pad on for the next three days. I am hoping that he will not take it off because he has a habit of doing that.
It might be worth you visiting your doctor to see if you can get this for your mum.
If it doesn't itch then hopefully they will not scratch it !!!
Best of luck.