irritating behaviour How to deal?

[shree]

my dad has alzheimer's. he has developed this habit of spitting continuously and is at the sink all the time. Occassionally he goes to the extent of spitting out of a window too. it is socially impossible to control the situation. also spits into curtains etc.

Any suggestions to solve the problem?

shree

 

[Brucie]

Hello shree and welcome to Talking Point.

I have only come across this once, and that is at the care home where my wife lives. One lovely old lady, from the Caribbean, sometimes goes around spitting on the floor of the home.

Unfortunately, there is no real way of stopping this behaviour. The staff can't ask her not to spit as she can't understand. The floors are tiled so it is easy to clean up as long as someone notices she has done it.

Obviously, it is dangerous for staff and other residents alike who might slip on the floor and, of course, it is a disgusting habit anyway.

So, I am sorry that I have no solution to the problem, but perhaps someone else on TP can help. If you can, and if your dad must spit, try to persuade him that the sink is the place to do it.

Shree - I am moving this thread to the main part of the forum where you may get more replies.

 

[Nutty Nan]

Been there etc.

No clever answers, Shree, only empathy: not a pleasant stage, but we've been there and know just what you mean. Windows and curtains are usually closed, but it is no use whatsoever to try and communicate our feelings about it all. I think it's just a reflex, and we've gone through wholesale quantities of wetwipes to clean whatever surface has been targetted.

More recently, my husband gets 'stuck' before he spits: he seems to forget what to do with his saliva, and can spend literally hours (no exaggeration!) very noisily swilling it round and round his mouth, often in the middle of the night, and nobody can help. He gets very frustrated with it, gesticulates wildly in all directions, which I am certain means "I need to get rid of this!!", but neither sink, bowls, buckets, hankies, towels or anything else has been of any help. Just patience ....... then, suddenly, he either works it out himself and does spit somewhere (anywhere!), or even swallows it, and then he is happy again.

 

[Margarita]

Lucky for me now mum just keeps it in her Mouth point to her mouth and ask me for a tissue where at the beginning mum would just spit over the balcony , I told her of, then got a bucket for her... When mum went to respite In June, I got ride of bucket. spiting seem to have stop not so bad now , but mum does get runny nose a lot , so I have to remind her to blow her nose . Seem now spiting stop and its now reminding her to blow her nose .

 

[Lucille]

Lucky for me now mum just keeps it in her Mouth point to her mouth and ask me for a tissue where at the beginning mum would just spit over the balcony , I told her of, then got a bucket for her... When mum went to respite In June, I got ride of bucket. spiting seem to have stop not so bad now , but mum does get runny nose a lot , so I have to remind her to blow her nose . Seem now spiting stop and its now reminding her to blow her nose .

Hi Margarita
My mum seems to get a runny nose a lot. Often has kitchen roll or tissue clamped to her face. I wonder with her, whether it's a side effect of her tablets, or whether she forgets she's blown her nose. She's constantly going to the loo as well; in the past she's said it's because she can't remember if she's been. I suppose I should be grateful she can still go herself, but I wonder whether this too is a side effect of her medication.