Mum starting to set fire to money... anyone else experienced this?

nick97

Registered User
Feb 16, 2020
59
0
So... my mum is starting to take a lighter to £5 notes; why I do not know. She has now burned at least £30, and that's just from what I've seen.

I don't know what to do; I don't want to take all the money out of her purse and keep possession of her bank card and she still likes to pop to the shops to buy things, but at the same time, keeping money in her purse is getting equally risky if she's going to set light to it, especially given she withdraws £200 a week from the ATM.

I guess I really want to know if anyone else has experienced this? It's... pretty distressing.
 

Helly68

Registered User
Mar 12, 2018
1,685
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I haven't personally experienced this, but my Mum who had mixed dementia did things like putting an electric kettle on the gas and secreting random cooking ingredients round the house.
Hard to know how to deal with this. Some members have had success with using fake bank notes to avoid excessive spending, but these will still burn, so doesnt solve the problem. Does she live alone? Quite apart from the expense this would be a fire risk?
 

Spamar

Registered User
Oct 5, 2013
7,723
0
Suffolk
People sometimes give them Monopoly money, but that depends on whether the PWD would recognise the difference.
 

nick97

Registered User
Feb 16, 2020
59
0
I can't really take lighter and matches off her, because mum smokes quite heavily.

I like the idea of monopoly money... though I'd be worried that she'd go out and try to spend it when I wasn't looking!
 

Helly68

Registered User
Mar 12, 2018
1,685
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Would she try a vape instead? I am guessing not, but the fire risk is a hazard if she is smoking alone.
 

nick97

Registered User
Feb 16, 2020
59
0
Yeah, mum wouldn't understand a vape, but even if she did, she would never use it, and she would still know what lighters and matches are and would likely go off to get some, maybe with fake monopoly money!

Though it's going to be mum's review from the council soon, so I'll mention all this to them when they get in touch ?
 

Jale

Registered User
Jul 9, 2018
1,138
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Does your Mum live on her own? I'd be worried what she might set fire to accidently. Would it be possible for you to withdraw money and perhaps give her coins (not £200 though).
 

nick97

Registered User
Feb 16, 2020
59
0
I live with mum but I work p/t with carers popping in to check on her. We've tried to minimise as much fire risk as possible i.e. throwing away potential flammable materials, ect.

Coins is a great idea too, but I think she likes seeing notes in her purse. She's very fierce about money... which of course makes it all the more strange that she's starting to burn it ?
 

Canadian Joanne

Registered User
Apr 8, 2005
17,710
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70
Toronto, Canada
I know, it really doesn't make sense, does it? My mother was very protective of her money but had a very disconcerting habit of showing everyone her savings account book. As at one point she had something like $40,000 in it, I wasn't very happy about it.
 

Bella6

Registered User
Jul 25, 2020
23
0
My husband threw money away, and a lot of other stuff too. I would wake up in the morning to find he'd been up for hours going through the house, clearing out cupboards and filling up the bins.