New stage - clothes

andypandy

Registered User
Jun 28, 2015
32
0
New development today, mums carer at tea time found her in her bedroom naked from the waist down and nearly all her clothes out of the wardrobe on the bed. She found her at lunch time with just her vest on and no top, just found out this has happened before but we didn't know (not the naked but trying to get clothes off for no reason) She's never done that not even in heat, mum and dad were/are very old school when it comes to clothes always wear something 'decent' so the fact she's doing this is very upsetting. Does this get worse??
We have a problem where everything is put on backwards (Tops and trousers back to front and cardies on so the back is over her front) and we don't know if that's the affects of the stroke or this awful dementia.
 

CeliaThePoet

Registered User
Dec 7, 2013
615
0
Buffalo, NY, USA
Sorry to hear this. Difficulty with clothing seems to be a marker of Stage 6 according to this: http://www.alzinfo.org/understand-alzheimers/clinical-stages-of-alzheimers/

Sometimes it is recommended to provide just a few changes of clothes on hand, and slightly big, soft, loose. My mother hates all her clothes and claims only one pair of her pants fit, though I've measured and she has several which are the same.

It is upsetting whenever there's a change/decline. My sympathies.
 

andypandy

Registered User
Jun 28, 2015
32
0
Thank you for that link it was very helpful.

It's scary to think mum is definitely at stage 6a and it's only been 8 months since her stroke. It's hard as she's still here most of the time she comments on the news and tries to tell you what's happened in the day but her communication is bad since the stroke she can't read can only write a little (in cards) and that makes no sense she never knows What day it is until you tell her, birthdays and any significant days have gone and that's all straight away since last October.

It was really helpful to read , thank you
 

Jessbow

Registered User
Mar 1, 2013
5,678
0
Midlands
its possibly more about loosing in inhibitions than anything else , not quite sure about these 'stages' .

Do you get innapropraite conversation/remarks too? my mother became almost obsessive about sexuality - Anything that happened in her imaginary world was caused by, or involved lesbians! I have no idea why! didn't know she knew what a lesbian was - certainly not a topic that had ever come up before.
 

andypandy

Registered User
Jun 28, 2015
32
0
its possibly more about loosing in inhibitions than anything else , not quite sure about these 'stages' .

Do you get innapropraite conversation/remarks too? my mother became almost obsessive about sexuality - Anything that happened in her imaginary world was caused by, or involved lesbians! I have no idea why! didn't know she knew what a lesbian was - certainly not a topic that had ever come up before.

Not had any inappropriate conversations but mum does tell us that she talks to my dad and granddad a lot, granddad passed 34 years ago and dad passed 2 and half years ago, then she tells us we'll be ok and she'll still be with us.
 

Witzend

Registered User
Aug 29, 2007
4,283
0
SW London
its possibly more about loosing in inhibitions than anything else , not quite sure about these 'stages' .

Do you get innapropraite conversation/remarks too? my mother became almost obsessive about sexuality - Anything that happened in her imaginary world was caused by, or involved lesbians! I have no idea why! didn't know she knew what a lesbian was - certainly not a topic that had ever come up before.

Apropos of that, my mother once told me that she was 25 and 3 years married before she had even heard of homosexuals, as she always called them. Someone at work told her, and she didn't believe them. She asked my father next time he was home on leave (wartime) and was astonished when he confirmed it.
The innocence of a bygone age...
 

chrisdee

Registered User
Nov 23, 2014
171
0
Yorkshire
I really wouldn't worry too much about labelling this a new stage for your Mum. My Mum had quite an obsession with clothes all the way through her AD, especially when she was at home which was all but the last six months. In fact, this could be my specialist subject on the forum! Practically every evening she would remove all the clothes from her wardrobe, and before I began reducing them step by step, this would involve a lot of work for my bro in putting them back before she could get into bed. He sometimes rang me in despair. Eventually we started to see this as a harmless 'rummaging' activity, after all she could be up to something far more dangerous. I used to bring her to my house once a week for the day, as well as visiting 4 afternoons, and I used to dread the clothes scenario. Odd layers, unsuitable for season, wearing 2 pairs of trousers, can't find gloves, tights etc. as well as a spot of wearing the same every day and screaming if I tried to change them. I threw out all the shoes with heels, and had to wait until she was in the loo to spirit stuff into the car, sometimes put them in bro's wardrobe as a 'holding bay'. We spent hours, shopping, looking, commenting and in the early days made the mistake of trying things on in M+S, we were there ages. Practical tips, be ruthless and get rid of the impractical stuff, many a fine tweed skirt and wool jumper went to charity. Try putting stuff out for the next day where she can't miss it. Some carers are better than others in terms of dressing help. Sadly the wandering naked seems per for the course. I just think its because they can't make decisions, and its another realm of confusion really. Realistically the hot weather cannot help. I do hope it will reduce in time. Go along with stuff as far as you are able. All the best.
 
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Long-Suffering

Registered User
Jul 6, 2015
425
0
Clothing issues were one of my dad's first symptoms. He used to walk around the house at night half naked. He has stages of clothing problems that last a month or so then change into something else. He went through a phase of laying all his clothes out on the floor. Then he put his clothes on in the wrong order. Now he tries to put on as many clothes as he can. The last thing my mother told me was he had 10 T-shirts on plus all her cardigans and was so big he couldn't fit in the armchair. He can't tell if he is hot or cold. That may have something to do with the current problem.

LS
 

marionq

Registered User
Apr 24, 2013
6,449
0
Scotland
Clothing issues were one of my dad's first symptoms. He used to walk around the house at night half naked. He has stages of clothing problems that last a month or so then change into something else. He went through a phase of laying all his clothes out on the floor. Then he put his clothes on in the wrong order. Now he tries to put on as many clothes as he can. The last thing my mother told me was he had 10 T-shirts on plus all her cardigans and was so big he couldn't fit in the armchair. He can't tell if he is hot or cold. That may have something to do with the current problem.

LS

No wonder you are long suffering! This did make me laugh though - husband does some strange stuff with clothes but your Dad beats all. This morning John asked me for socks and I knew I had laid some out. Found he had two socks on one foot and two knee bandages on one knee. The other day he bandaged up a leg with nothing wrong with it. Two shirts and T shirts on top of other clothes are common.
 

canary

Registered User
Feb 25, 2014
25,018
0
South coast
Yup, clothing is a real problem.
I once caught mum with a pair of knickers on, then her PJ bottoms, then 2 pairs of knickers on over the top, then a pair of trousers and she was struggling to put yet another pair of knickers on over the top of that!!
 

Long-Suffering

Registered User
Jul 6, 2015
425
0
No wonder you are long suffering! This did make me laugh though - husband does some strange stuff with clothes but your Dad beats all. This morning John asked me for socks and I knew I had laid some out. Found he had two socks on one foot and two knee bandages on one knee. The other day he bandaged up a leg with nothing wrong with it. Two shirts and T shirts on top of other clothes are common.

It's good to be able to have a laugh sometimes. He sometimes wears my mum's clothes with his too. So far just cardigans and jumpers - no skirts or dresses yet. Though who knows soon...