The Dryer Ate Your Underwear! -

Home
>
Elder Care
>
The Dryer Ate Your Underwear!

The Dryer Ate Your Underwear!

Q: My mom is in the early stages of dementia and she is also incontinent we have tried to get her to stop wearing her underpants and have her start wearing pull-up diapers, she throws the Depends out the door and puts her underpants on. Of coarse we have a lot of laundry! How should I handle this?

A: This one should be fairly easy to solve. You have a few options actually! And hopefully you won't have to try them all!

First, you should take all of the regular underwear away, and replace them with the Depends. That way there is no other option. Hopefully in a few days she will adjust to the change and not even notice the difference.

If that doesn't work you may have to resort to under-handed, underwear tactics.

Sometimes with dementia you have to be a little bit dishonest. Somehow to me it never felt right telling little old ladies, little white lies. But, perhaps you could look at it like you are just stretching things a bit, or since we are Irish, it is just blarney!

One of the only ways to effectively deal with those who have dementia or alzheimer's is to enter into their reality. In your moms' mind, she doesn't have a problem and doesn't need them. In our reality we are smelling the urine, finding wet clothes, the furniture might be getting soiled etc. So here are a few one liners that might help you.

1. Mom we sent the underwear to the dry cleaners, they won't be back until next Monday.

2. Sorry, mom, they had to keep them another week.

3. I'm going to have to call and complain, because it has taken them so long.

4. The ladies' department at JC Penney, told me that they don't make that kind of underwear anymore mom. They only sell this kind.

5. Mom, you are hip! It's what all the chics your age are wearing!

6. Mom the washing machine is broken, can you just wear these until we get it fixed.

7. Mom, the dryer ate your underwear.

8. What underwear?

Get a little creative!

Renee "Dutchy" Reeves is an Elder Care Consultant with over 10 years of working with the elderly and their families. Her online advice column, "Ask Dutchy" provides practical ideas and advice for assisting the elderly with Alzheimer's disease, Dementia, Parkinson's, disability, and those needing long term care. See other articles by her at http://www.askdutchy.mycarelink.net

In The News:

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.prweb.com/releases/holiday_stress/aging_parents/prweb1693714.htmcid=1276802653ei=jW81Sd6bFKbU6gPj3LiDDwusg=AFQjCNFaQIwhRhlwybmCMKSZLYqemm4NJAHolidays with Aging Parents: bElder Care/b Expert Has the b.../b/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fPR Web (press release),nbsp;WAnbsp;-/font nobr9 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1bElder care/b expert Esther Koch provides insight into how caregivers of aging parents can bring the joy of the holiday season to the belder care/b experience. b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd width=80 align=center valign=topfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifa href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/bus/stories/120208dnbusplatinumcare.1b48da9.htmlcid=1276751007ei=jW81Sd6bFKbU6gPj3LiDDwusg=AFQjCNHcrjgjQU99GOkybFNVaIcOaAQ_2gimg src=http://news.google.com/news?imgefp=S7LqDqqT_V4Jimgurl=www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/img/v3/12-02-2008.NB_02platinum2.G0N2HB0PQ.1.jpg width=54 height=80 alt= border=1brfont size=-2Dallas Morning News/font/a/font/tdtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/bus/stories/120208dnbusplatinumcare.1b48da9.htmlcid=1276751007ei=jW81Sd6bFKbU6gPj3LiDDwusg=AFQjCNHcrjgjQU99GOkybFNVaIcOaAQ_2gSenior Source to use expertise for moneymaking venture/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fDallas Morning News,nbsp;TXnbsp;-/font nobr12 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1Lue Taff, belder/b support director at the Senior Source, explains the complexities of belder care/b. The agency will coordinate bcare/b for the belderly/b for a fee b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.financialpost.com/story.html%3Fid%3D1016088cid=0ei=jW81Sd6bFKbU6gPj3LiDDwusg=AFQjCNGxMxRVtr10iAFXWVZSNVEZObo5SQOne-stop website for all belder care/b needs/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fFinancial Post,nbsp;Canadanbsp;-/font nobr15 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1quot;It#39;s a Craigslist for beldercare/b and providers, with a targeted focus,quot; he said. quot;At some point I#39;ll sell some banner ads and if people want some kind of b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.mercurynews.com/breakingnews/ci_11096047cid=1276425867ei=jW81Sd6bFKbU6gPj3LiDDwusg=AFQjCNG-D5H8HPZN4ePBfvsLTLMQ93SeLQNew kinds of high-tech homes for the belderly/b/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fSan Jose Mercury News,nbsp; USAnbsp;-/font nobrDec 1, 2008/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1It#39;s a daily pilgrimage of architects, home builders, technology insiders and belder/b-bcare/b professionals. Visitors came one recent week from Florida, b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.wickedlocal.com/needham/news/lifestyle/seniors/x541373253/Needham-Senior-Notes-Dec-4cid=0ei=jW81Sd6bFKbU6gPj3LiDDwusg=AFQjCNGqM9fKYr4sQKbVM8hdPre1gCecWgNeedham Senior Notes (Dec. 4)/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fNeedham Times,nbsp; USAnbsp;-/font nobr1 hour ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1SeniorDirect is a team of expert belder care/b specialists, social workers skilled in listening and helping. Since its launch a year ago September, b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_11084066cid=1275274103ei=jW81Sd6bFKbU6gPj3LiDDwusg=AFQjCNHYyb17IKI_sPb3A3mjD3KSeuO3RwTrial begins for man charged in slaying of two belder care/b home b.../b/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fSan Jose Mercury News,nbsp; USAnbsp;-/font nobrNov 27, 2008/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1Pangilinan beat the caregiver and killed two residents in her bcare/b, an belderly/b woman and a mentally disabled woman in poor health. b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.mcknights.com/Getting-to-the-bottom-of-CNA-turnover/article/121691/cid=0ei=jW81Sd6bFKbU6gPj3LiDDwusg=AFQjCNEOzuY0r4aFSEePNH3MF8luUtxv7gGetting to the bottom of CNA turnover/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fMcKnight's Long Term Care News,nbsp;NYnbsp;-/font nobr18 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1Home life and personal responsibilities, such as child or belder care/b, financial problems, or difficult/conflicting obligations, have an impact on the CNAs#39; b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.summitdaily.com/article/20081201/BUSINESS/812019969/1078%26ParentProfile%3D1055%26title%3DNannies%2520Inc.%2520brings%2520plenty%2520of%2520experiencecid=0ei=jW81Sd6bFKbU6gPj3LiDDwusg=AFQjCNH2s0Kk2jP_yG6uDc2BRD1yGP0k4wNannies Inc. brings plenty of experience/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fSummit Daily News,nbsp;COnbsp;-/font nobr17 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1A: In-home childcare and belder care/b for families — part-time or full-time or more, as needed. Quality children help with household, laundry, b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/editorial/6136025.htmlcid=0ei=jW81Sd6bFKbU6gPj3LiDDwusg=AFQjCNEaW2HWFbdF-q01lbck7UzrY7UEoQBlessing and burden: Study on Latinos sheds light on beldercare/b for all/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fHouston Chronicle,nbsp;United Statesnbsp;-/font nobrNov 27, 2008/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1New research on Latino caregivers, however, highlights ways to make beldercare/b easier. Latinos spend more time caring for belderly/b parents than non-Latinos, b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.tampabay.com/SearchForwardServlet.do%3FarticleId%3D922296cid=1276559841ei=jW81Sd6bFKbU6gPj3LiDDwusg=AFQjCNHfqrz7zsjgdD-41O4dFrRh1SxZJAPasco health notes/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fTampabay.com,nbsp;FLnbsp;-/font nobr19 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1All proceeds help the hospice continue to provide bcare/b to patients. Call (727) 845-5707. Anyone working in services pertinent to belder care/b, health supplies b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table

elder care - Google News