Another tale of Poo!

[angela53]

Our Mum, who is about 5 years into AD, lives at home with my younger brother. She attends day centres 5 days per week, which is brilliant for her and enables my brother to continue working full-time. A morning carer comes in to shower and dress her as personal care is now beyond her abilities. She is collected and driven home by transport attached to the day centre.
We are now experiencing frequent occasions where she soils herself during the trip there, or whilst there and is resisting all attempts by the staff to clean her up. The day centre today phoned my brother and asked if I could possibly go down and sort her out as they "wouldn't like her to stop coming". He said it wasn't an option and neither could he go down and do it but would be quite happy to speak to Mum over the phone and suggest she co-operates. They are in a difficult position as she becomes aggressive/defensive and will shout, scream and lash out.
Today and yesterday she actually went to the toilet before leaving so had help to clean up. It isn't diarrhoea, she has a healthy appetite and her diet is good (she is also Type 2 diabetes, medicated, and underweight but GP happy with it). She uses incontinence wear all the time now - she isn't incontinent as such, it's more that she doesn't know how to use the toilet any more. Even if we take her, she will stand in front of it and not know what to do or how to do it.
Any suggestions please?

 

[susy]

Maybe it's how it is dealt with at the day centre, or the fact that she is outside the home that she feels getting undressed in front of others very difficult. If you could work out what he is upset about that might help in the response given.

 

[angela53]

Maybe it's how it is dealt with at the day centre, or the fact that she is outside the home that she feels getting undressed in front of others very difficult. If you could work out what he is upset about that might help in the response given.

Thank you - you're probably right on both counts! She has been going for quite a while to all the day centres and all the staff are very kind, caring and used to dealing with this sort of situation. She did go through a stage of this happening occasionally and was quite happy to allow the staff to sort her out. However, she must feel embarrassed/ashamed - and her way of dealing with it is denial that it's happened - she does the same at home. It would be easier in a way if she was unaware and totally passive but she isn't.

 

[paddyr]

The Gut Brain Axis

My wife is doubly incontinent and wears pads. She has a cycle for passing solids of 2-3 days then a large fairly solid lump. I've talked this through with the GP and after some trials decided not to use laxatives as that gave more problems. My wife is not able to communicate so I have to think for her. The effects are that she does get a little angry when the time comes to deliver but not too much of a problem but recently another thing seems to occur just before the time of delivery - she exhibits what I call spasms when waking. These last for about 30 minutes and can result in her loosing balance and if not being held can result in ending on the floor. I theorise that her peristalsis is affected by the disease and so delivery of solids is by gravity and exercise and that the nervous system induces the spasms to help. My theory is to a certain extent supported by a book "Why isn't my brain working?" by Dr Datis Kharazian. He recently gave an interview "The Gut Brain Axis: Overloaded - I can supply a link if allowed. It would be interesting to hear if others experience similar situations.