Wandering

[MaNaAk]

Hello everyone!

Just letting you all know that Dad is recovering from his falls but I now have a new problem in that my neighbour found him at the top of the road at 5.30 am. At 7.30 am I was surprised to see a paramedic at the door saying that she was going to bring him back. Honestly what next! All I can say is that I am going to be securing the front door!

MaNaAk

PS: I am aware that Dad's recnet illness has made his Alzheimers worse.

 

[Shedrech]

hi MaNaAk
that is a worry
might be worth fitting a door alarm so you have a warning that the door is open when you aren't there to see what's happening (no-one can be 'on guard' every minute of the day) - and maybe a tracker of some kind?

 

[yak55]

Hello everyone!

Just letting you all know that Dad is recovering from his falls but I now have a new problem in that my neighbour found him at the top of the road at 5.30 am. At 7.30 am I was surprised to see a paramedic at the door saying that she was going to bring him back. Honestly what next! All I can say is that I am going to be securing the front door!

MaNaAk

PS: I am aware that Dad's recnet illness has made his Alzheimers worse.

Hi, after Mum started wandering off we put security locks on the doors at the top, the ones you open with a special which we hide in a safe place near the door. We've also used these on our cupboards and wardrobes because Mum would take things and hide them or just constantly move them around! Her clothes are also locked in a cupboard.
The only thing I'd say is, be aware that if you tell SS you've done this they will say you are depriving your Dad from his liberty! I know, it's crazy, you protect them and you're wrong, you let them do what they want and they wander off ad you're wrong. Mums SS also said that Mum had told her she was worried as she didn't have any money and they berated me for that!
My response was "what do you want me to do? let Mum wander off with a purse full of cash".....strangely they answered that they didn't know where I got that idea from as that wasn't what they were saying hmmmmmmmm

 

[yak55]

Hi, after Mum started wandering off we put security locks on the doors at the top, the ones you open with a special which we hide in a safe place near the door. We've also used these on our cupboards and wardrobes because Mum would take things and hide them or just constantly move them around! Her clothes are also locked in a cupboard.
The only thing I'd say is, be aware that if you tell SS you've done this they will say you are depriving your Dad from his liberty! I know, it's crazy, you protect them and you're wrong, you let them do what they want and they wander off ad you're wrong. Mums SS also said that Mum had told her she was worried as she didn't have any money and they berated me for that!
My response was "what do you want me to do? let Mum wander off with a purse full of cash".....strangely they answered that they didn't know where I got that idea from as that wasn't what they were saying hmmmmmmmm

Special key, that should have said!

 

[yak55]

hi MaNaAk
that is a worry
might be worth fitting a door alarm so you have a warning that the door is open when you aren't there to see what's happening (no-one can be 'on guard' every minute of the day) - and maybe a tracker of some kind?

Locking the PWD is the only way I'm afraid

 

[marionq]

Last week I had to go out and bring John home at 2 am. He was on his way to work! Last night would have been a repeat but I managed to get him to take some Phenergan anti histamine prescribed by his GP for his itchiness. It is too strong so only given in extremis. I can't do this indefinitely but I can't tie him up or lock him in either.

What a problem! I thought we had left this behind several years ago.

 

[LynneMcV]

I lock all the external doors overnight and sometimes during the day (if I am sleepy and likely to nod off while looking after hubby).

It's been a long time since my husband last wandered, years in fact, but nothing can be ruled out with this disease.

In our case I can't see that there would be any legal issues about locking the doors as we are all under the same roof. It would be different if my husband was locked in the house alone with nobody around to help him in an emergency.

The police also regularly send out reminders to residents to make sure they lock their doors overnight (not just lifting up the handle and assuming the bolts are in place, but actually turning the key in the lock too).

The police also advise to hide all keys (door keys and car keys) out of sight.

If social services should ever suggest to me that I was depriving hubby of his liberty I would need to look no further than the police to put them straight.

 

[marionq]

We have one of those modem front doors which don’t lock on the inside with a key but just with a handle turn. I am a very light sleeper so know when John is wandering but of course I could be ill or just exhausted from lack of sleep.

Once he decides to go out it is hard to stop him.

 

[MaNaAk]

Thankyou for your replies! Dementia friends phoned today and talked about a door sensor and panic pendant. We can only try the best for our PWDS and thanks for the SS warning Yak. You should see how strange our council can be and may I suggest that you ask your council whether they have ever had to care for anyone and what would they do if they had to be a carer in the future!

MaNaAk

 

[MaNaAk]

Touch wood! Dad hasn't wandered out of the house in his pyjamas again since Friday but I was wondering if anyone has any ideas regarding knocking on my bedroom door at 5.30 in the morning. Dad rises with the larks but he still does and wants to know where I am!

MaNaAk

 

[Tin]

Does he ever enter your room after knocking? I had this problem with my mum and she would just enter my room . This was back in the day when I left a small light on, so at eyes view I stuck a big sign with big bold lettering - DO NOT DISTURB, SLEEPING, worked for a while, then a lock on my door and now the hall light is off plus she has started sleeping through the night - pure bliss!

 

[MaNaAk]

I put up a sign and the knock came at 6.15 am so I will alter the sign by putting it on a string across my door. Having said this I took dad for a walk today and he is tired out so here's hoping!

MaNaAk

 

[marionq]

Its all a guessing game with dementia. Last night John slept 12 hours straight through without even a toilet break. I just don’t know from one night to another what we will have.

 

[MaNaAk]

I know how you feel Marion and after Friday's little 'walkabout' I tell myself he hasn't escaped since then. However it's a shame that I feel tired from my early morning wake up calls and I also I feel sorry for those of us who have trouble getting our loved ones to bed!

Also I know this has nothing to do with dementia but for many years I played violin for a local carol concert run by our local quakers and today I rang up to ask if I could play only to be told that this year's concert was last Sunday and they had forgotten to ask me. If only they knew! All I can say is that I was involved in a good Adult Piano Pupils Xmas Concert the previous day and I thoroughly enjoyed an Indian meal with dad the following day. I have a few other Christmassy events planned and whilst I am disappointed about not being asked to play in something that I had been playing with for years I plan to enjoy everything with dad. The word 'forgotten' has an entirely different meaning for me now.

 

[abz2005]

Oh the wandering, my dad hears voices calling him in the night so either opens the windows and starts shouting in the middle of the night, or goes into everyone's bedrooms or wandering outside, he was found at 3.30am around 3 weeks ago by a family friend. 2 Sunday's ago he went out at 6am and had a fall he wasn't injured but spent a week in hospital, while there I was told something new and different by the drs, nurses, mental health team and social workers every day sometimes twice a day.

Anyway he's back home now since last Sunday voices, calling out, and wandering still a major issue but one of us stops up.with him not an ideal situation.

We can't lock him in or he will wake the whole house up, smash the place to bits or worse still attack my mother, he really has it in for her since this dementia started.

Psychiatrist is coming tomorrow for another medication review let's see what drugs he puts him on this time

 

[MaNaAk]

Oh the wandering, my dad hears voices calling him in the night so either opens the windows and starts shouting in the middle of the night, or goes into everyone's bedrooms or wandering outside, he was found at 3.30am around 3 weeks ago by a family friend. 2 Sunday's ago he went out at 6am and had a fall he wasn't injured but spent a week in hospital, while there I was told something new and different by the drs, nurses, mental health team and social workers every day sometimes twice a day.

Anyway he's back home now since last Sunday voices, calling out, and wandering still a major issue but one of us stops up.with him not an ideal situation.

We can't lock him in or he will wake the whole house up, smash the place to bits or worse still attack my mother, he really has it in for her since this dementia started.

Psychiatrist is coming tomorrow for another medication review let's see what drugs he puts him on this time

Good luck Abz!

If the psychiatrist puts your dad on different drugs it should follow that some of the drugs that he is already on should be removed just in case they are causing side effects. My dad doesn't shout out in the middle of the night but last night he woke up to go to the toilet at 1.20 am but couldn'g remember which was his bedroom on the way back so he knocked on my door. Following this we both went back to bed but had difficulty sleeping. Me, because I was worried and him because he was due to have his ears syringed today and he therefore had olive oil and wax swimming around in his ears!

This probably exascerbated his confusion and he got up at the usual time and made porridge but he put the electric kettle on the stove and ruined it. He was very apologetic and he paid for a new one. I will now have to consider this before I go out eventhough I have carers coming in twice a week. I will leave sandwiches for him to have for lunch and I will coffee in a flask. I wish I had eyes in the back of my head!

MaNaAk

 

[MaNaAk]

Just letting everyone know that dad got out of the front room window today and walked up the road in his now famous pyjamas to the church and back!

MaNaAk

 

[Tin]

It was the dining room window here. Middle of the night 2 years ago and carrying her little dog, terrified me, We live in a rural village and had I not caught up with her in time she would have soon run out of pavement to walk on and then just road and grass verges with so many open fields.

 

[MaNaAk]

Just letting everyone know that dad got out of the front room window today and walked up the road in his now famous pyjamas to the church and back!

MaNaAk

After this I hope to feel better tomorrow!

MaNaAk

 

[MaNaAk]

After this I hope to feel better tomorrow!

MaNaAk

Emotions got a bit too much today!