Wandering - Some advice please
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deedee44
Joined: Thu Sep 29, 2011 9:06 am
Posts: 10
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 Re: Wandering - Some advice please My mother inlaw has gotten up in the middle of the night and was roaming. She was up about 12:30am the other night and we spent an hour trying to get her back to bed. She refused to go because she thought we were "up to something." She also was convinced we had put something in her food earlier. We finally were able to get her to her room but I ended up staying up until she was in her bed asleep which was about 2:30am. I don't know what she may try to do up alone. She doesn't normally try to cook or anything, though I caught her one time trying to figure out how to work the stove. But as this disease progresses, I don't know if she will try or not. I can't really hear from my room if she's up or not. I just happened to still be awake in bed and noticed the hall light on under my door. Does anyone have any advice as to how I can monitor this. I'm really concerned. We have a tri level and 3 sets of stairs in our home. Any help would be very much appreciated.
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| Thu Sep 29, 2011 2:56 pm |
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JeanneG
Joined: Fri Dec 31, 2010 3:07 pm
Posts: 1037
Location: Minnesota
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Re: Wandering - Some advice please A baby monitor may help.
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Jeanne, 66 caring for husband Coy, 85. RBD for 30+ years; LDB since 2003, Coy still at home, in early stage
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| Thu Sep 29, 2011 3:00 pm |
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cdw
Joined: Fri Nov 05, 2010 11:30 pm
Posts: 298
Location: southern cali
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Re: Wandering - Some advice please or maybe cow bells attached to the outside knob of her door.. how far away are you from her?? the alarms are great but they are so loud i think if i started on by accident id have a hear attack... so i have resisted that so far... but the cowbells are fairly reasonable and you could add more if needed... i do have baby safety knobs on all outside leading doors.. and i could hear them being trying to be opened.. but im a fairly light sleeper... please let us know what you decide
good luck
cindi
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CG for hubby. started showing symptoms in 2000, at 55, diagnosed at with AD at 62, LB at 64.. vietnam vet.. has ptsd, which doubled the chances for dementia...sprayed with agent orange. showing some signs of parkinsons.
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| Thu Sep 29, 2011 3:56 pm |
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JeanneG
Joined: Fri Dec 31, 2010 3:07 pm
Posts: 1037
Location: Minnesota
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Re: Wandering - Some advice please We used two devices when nighttime activity was a problem for us. The baby monitor was very useful if I was awake. I could sit in my office and hear what was going on in the bedroom. But getting out of bed does not make enough noise to wake me, even if I was in the same room. We used a motion detector, like this one: http://shop.alzstore.com/motion-detector-with-remote-alarm-p1.aspx I needed to know when he was up, even if he weren't leaving the bedroom. (Lots of falling.) The receiving device can be carried with you. It was pretty handy, really.
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Jeanne, 66 caring for husband Coy, 85. RBD for 30+ years; LDB since 2003, Coy still at home, in early stage
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| Thu Sep 29, 2011 4:58 pm |
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deedee44
Joined: Thu Sep 29, 2011 9:06 am
Posts: 10
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Re: Wandering - Some advice please Thanks for all of the suggestions. We were actually thinking about a baby monitor. I'm not sure if would here her stirring though. I'm not exactly a light sleeper. But she's had a few night terrors that my son heard, but we did not. I only heard her have one once. So the Baby Moniter may work good for that. I actually just saw the Motion Device at the ALZ Store and thought that may work pretty good. Amazing, would have never thought of there being an AZ store. I'm going to talk to my husband tonight about your suggestions. Thank you so much. I really do appreciate it.
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| Thu Sep 29, 2011 6:52 pm |
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Gerry
Joined: Sun Oct 21, 2007 4:18 pm
Posts: 835
Location: Acton, MA
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Re: Wandering - Some advice please Deedee, I have a, wireless, motion detector . I can have the receiver where ever I am and set the motion detector at the foot of the bed or at the doorway so I'd know if Frank was on the move. I used it most in the bathroom so I could go and help and not have to mop up after.
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Gerry 67, cared for Frank 71, married 49 yrs; dx 2004, passed away October 26, 2011.
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| Thu Sep 29, 2011 8:37 pm |
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katelu
Joined: Tue Dec 29, 2009 2:28 pm
Posts: 463
Location: Minnesota
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Re: Wandering - Some advice please Deedee,
Wandering was one of the factors that helped us to decide on a dementia unit. I was afraid to go to sleep (we also have a split-level). Before she even started wandering, Mom would try to get to the bathroom by herself. So I got a motion detector. The problem was that our rooms were directly across from each other and I had positioned my bed so that it was very close to the doorway. That way, I could see Mom in bed. But the motion detector was also pointed toward my bed, just by default as it was supposed to catch Mom as she tried to get up. Every time I moved in bed, and I am an active sleeper, the thing went off!
Cow bells might be simpler and just as effective.
Never thought of the baby door knob handles. Good idea!
Kate
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Kate [i](Cared for Mom for years before anyone else noticed the symptoms, but the last year of her life was rough and we needed to place her in an SNF, where she passed in February 2012)[/i]
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| Thu Sep 29, 2011 9:45 pm |
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