Alzheimer's Reading Room
Kelly wrote:
Here is a problem we have with mama. She does very well going to pee throughout the day... we do have to take her.
However after about 5-6:00pm she rarely goes.
We take her and we stay there for at least 15 minutes. She keeps standing up and I have to ask her to sit over and over and over and over....we sing, we read nursery rhymes, we run water...nothing..last night I took her every hour from her last pee at 5:30 pm until bedtime at 10:30 nothing.
I got her up at 3:00 am and she went. If I hadn't she would have had the flood. Yes she wears adult 'britches'. What would we do if she refused? Yikes! Because of this new problem we have stopped fluids at 6 pm.
She drinks plenty all day long. The only caffeine she has is one cup of tea in the morning. The rest is diluted juices, water and sometimes chocolate soy milk. She just recovered from a bladder infection. Good urine test done about 7-9 days ago.
Does anyone out there have this problem or any suggestions?
Editor note: I'll ring in on this one. First, I like your approach because you are looking for a solution with a good attitude. I also like that you have a good pattern established in the earlier part of the day.
However, think about this. The pattern you are establishing after 5:30 pm is not working and you continue to try it. So maybe you are in fact establishing a pattern the pattern you have right now.
Why not try to load her up with liquid at 5 PM and see what happens later in the evening. Might backfire, might not.
I would give her more tea in the evening if she likes it. Could act like a diuretic.
Now keep in mind. It could take some time to establish a new pattern and reach your goal. So, you do need to be patient.
As far as liquids. I finally found if I gave my mother small glasses of water etc she would drink without hesitation. If it goes straight down, I know I have to give her more soon. Within an hour -- I no longer try to force it. Of course, we live in Florida and you need lots of water down here no matter who you are.
Maybe less is more in this case. Less singing and trying. Put her in and turn on the water. If she comes out let her come out. Give her something to drink -- like tea. Try to discover something that works. It is all about trial and error. So sometimes if something is not working, try the opposite or near opposite.
The thing is to try and discover a pattern that works. To do this you really need to pay close attention. I would make notes as I go. This way you can continually review the notes until you discover the solution. Then you can write down the solution.
There is an alternative interpretation. Maybe she doesn't have to go at 6 pm etc.
Maybe you should start over at 5:30 pm and do the same exact thing you do starting in the morning. Might sound crazy.
If you can get her to go every two hours (or a bit sooner) from the time she gets up right up until she goes to bed you will be in good shape. That is more, or less, the pattern I have going.
Hopefully someone encountered a similar problem and has a bright idea.
I like the use of the word "britches". Sounds so much better then adult diaper.
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Bob DeMarco is the editor of the Alzheimer's Reading Room and an Alzheimer's caregiver. Bob has written more than 1,510 articles with more than 8,000 links on the Internet. Bob resides in Delray Beach, FL.
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