Room cameras at home

[Relm]

I live with my mother who is 85 and has dementia.

Her dementia comes on top of severe moods swings that have troubled her all her life. Dementia has made her bouts of extreme anger more frequent especially now that she gets frustrated at not remembering where she put something and this quickly leads to overwhelming thoughts that someone has taken something from her and then on to rage.

It is almost impossible to know where to find the lost items especially as she will often hide things because she believes strangers will come into the house and steal her personal belongings (such as medicines, gloves, spectacles, etc). We recently installed a safe which helps with storing money and a few specific valuables but it can't be used to hold everything she might lose.

I wonder if cameras in several rooms might be useful. FIRSTLY they could help show how things went missing and even if we can't find the items the footage might reassure my mother that she's not the victim of someone's deliberate nastiness. SECONDLY cameras could help avoid the blame she usually places firmly on others for the damage caused. THIRDLY cameras might allay her fears about burglars and this could prevent her needing to hide things in the first place.

I know there are questions of personal freedom involved by having cameras but I tend to think they would be in her best interest.

I'm writing this message to ask if anyone can advise me about other problems or benefits we need to be aware of if we have cameras. Also I would welcome any practical advice to steer me towards camera systems for sale which might be appropriate.

Thank you.

 

[Katrine]

We installed a camera inside MIL's house that pointed through a window at the front door because she had already been the victim of a doorstep rogue trader who we expected to return and the police wanted us to provide some evidence. Unfortunately the presence of the camera itself ramped up MIL's paranoia. She kept unplugging the cables to the monitoring box. In her dementia logic, the camera was set up to capture the man on film, therefore having the camera would attract him back to be filmed. We had to run a cable to the loft and put the monitoring box up there, so it wasn't very handy to do the playback! The day that the man returned was one where she had disabled the camera so we never did get the evidence.

You can get all sorts of disguised cameras that run on batteries and with a limited recording time, so this would work as long as you were able to check the recordings regularly. I believe that there are systems that you can monitor remotely - others can advise.

Your mother is unlikely to welcome or even permit this sort of surveillance. She will not be persuaded by what you show her on the recordings IMO. I think you could try video monitoring to see what she gets up to but be prepared for feeling awful about doing it. When you see that vulnerable person wandering around doing strange things, like staring into the fridge for half an hour with the door open, it is very upsetting.

 

[Bod]

I installed a "Wildlife" camera, it did return some useful information, but had to be checked everyday.
By a series of still images, it did show what we had to do to reduce FiL's night-time wanderings. (toast and marmalade before bed)
One camera, moved to a different room daily, might over time show which areas were most visited.
Full video monitoring, would be very expensive, and totally time consuming.

No known camera will be tolerated/left alone. Which only leaves covert, which can be done, at about £100 per camera.
What ever you do, it will not change her attitude! or beliefs!

Bod

 

[Shedrech]

Hi Relm
a camera might help you see what is going on - that's one issue, for you to think through

the second is
I doubt that watching back footage will help your mum at all - if she's anything like my dad she will either
not recognise herself and her home;
be confirmed in her suspicion that someone is in the house seeing herself as someone else;
flat out deny that this is her
all of which will lead to similar accusations to those she is already making
she's unlikely to see the footage as you do and so there'll be no reassurance for her in watching it

best wishes

 

[la lucia]

I live with my mother who is 85 and has dementia.

I wonder if cameras in several rooms might be useful. FIRSTLY they could help show how things went missing and even if we can't find the items the footage might reassure my mother that she's not the victim of someone's deliberate nastiness. SECONDLY cameras could help avoid the blame she usually places firmly on others for the damage caused. THIRDLY cameras might allay her fears about burglars and this could prevent her needing to hide things in the first place.

I know there are questions of personal freedom involved by having cameras but I tend to think they would be in her best interest.
Thank you.

I'm sorry but you are thinking along lines of logic that won't work with a pwd. You assume that she only needs persuading with evidence to see the error of her ways but dementia doesn't work like that. Sadly, logic doesn't come into it,

It's also highlighting her shortcomings and emphasising her failures,
and means relying on her memory that the camera doesn't lie..... until next the time.

These accusations are very common and most people who care for a pwd encounter them. It's far more useful to learn distraction techniques and not get drawn in to discussing or arguing about missing items. Easier said than done, I know, but it does help. Hopefully she'll pass through this phase eventually.

Here's the really useful Compassionate Communication for the Memory Impaired

I

 

[rhubarbtree]

From my experience the best person to ask to fit these is an electrician. My electrician emailed me details of his recommendation, I bought them, and he fitted them. I wanted cameras on the front door and drive because when I am up here on computer I can't see out to the front of the house. Also wanted them for security.

There were four cameras in the set and he put one of the spare ones in our hall way facing towards the kitchen. This camera has proved very useful as I can keep an eye on OHs wandering. Keep meaning to ask him to come back and fit the last one in our living room. Then I will have all exits covered.

OH was around when cameras were fitted but has not mentioned them so presume he has forgotten. I have not shown him the images on the monitor. I agree with comments above that it would probably be quite disturbing for a pwd to see home on film. However, it would give you an idea of where things have been hidden away.

I can also view the images on ipad when away from home. (Novelty value). He also fitted a pretend burglar alarm at the same time.

If I remember correctly whole set was under £200 plus electricians charges.

Coincidence - as I was typing this I saw postman coming up drive with large parcel. Able to get down and open door before he rang.

 

[little shettie]

My mum lived with hubby and I until recently and we had a camera installed in her room as she was prone to falls and I could monitor her especially at night. We bought a wifi camera which was simple to install, just connect it to your wifi and you can download an app for your smart phone and away you go. Was only about £30 and superb picture quality. Theres one called clever dog that is along these lines, check it out on ebay or amazon xx