Lately, OH has been obsessed with collecting bits of paper which he cuts into strips and uses to write himself notes etc....all quite useful, until recently.
This has now-along with collecting any rubbish he finds in the street-become an obsession. I thought he was just going through our bins( including the one in the bathroom-yuck!) but tonight I found him going through the neighbours.
I told him off-explained it was illegal ( or that he could get punched on the nose) and that we had plenty of paper in the house; I have bought him his own pad that he can cut up to his hearts content.
He then went off on one his walks-promised me (!) he wouldn't do this. However-on return, he had hidden loads of paper-envelopes-bank statement- (not ours) letters etc and was going to cut them up later. All the recycling bins are out for collection tomorrow so he could have had a field day!
I told him-again-that this was illegal and he could be arrested-which could lead to him being locked up( thought scare tactics might work...) I also reminded him that he has paper and does not need to do this.
So-do I ring the police and tell them he has dementia and that this is happening? I work and cannot be here to stop him doing this; in fact, I don't think I could when here. In these days of worrying about identity theft, I could understand if people got angry.
Any advice welcome!
This has now-along with collecting any rubbish he finds in the street-become an obsession. I thought he was just going through our bins( including the one in the bathroom-yuck!) but tonight I found him going through the neighbours.
I told him off-explained it was illegal ( or that he could get punched on the nose) and that we had plenty of paper in the house; I have bought him his own pad that he can cut up to his hearts content.
He then went off on one his walks-promised me (!) he wouldn't do this. However-on return, he had hidden loads of paper-envelopes-bank statement- (not ours) letters etc and was going to cut them up later. All the recycling bins are out for collection tomorrow so he could have had a field day!
I told him-again-that this was illegal and he could be arrested-which could lead to him being locked up( thought scare tactics might work...) I also reminded him that he has paper and does not need to do this.
So-do I ring the police and tell them he has dementia and that this is happening? I work and cannot be here to stop him doing this; in fact, I don't think I could when here. In these days of worrying about identity theft, I could understand if people got angry.
Any advice welcome!