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Hi everyone!
My mom, who is 83, is constantly worried throughout the day that she did not go to the bathroom. I take pictures, and show her throughout the day, but she continues to state "that she hasn't gone in a week and a half." When I try to explain to her that she has indeed gone to the bathroom, she then changes her explanation and states that she said that she didnt say this, and that she knows she goes to the bathroom, but not enough.

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Hi thanks so much I feel that if this is all stemming from dementia than there is very little that can be done and mom does not think she has any memory issues which makes bringing her to an MD very challenging and I ve.tried this path several times but it never worked out I just pray that this Issue will get better
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Reply to Tommybrooklyn
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Not to crrate fear but, has a Doctor checked her out to make sure she isn't full of feces?

My mom died of colorectal cancer, during my research I have read that you can have a blockage and still go poo everyday, you may not feel relieved from passing the stool, amongst many other things. This stood out because my mom went everyday and had an impaction all the while.

Sometimes things aren't just in a demented head.
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Reply to Isthisrealyreal
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Some patients, ALF residents, and etc are greatly helped by a whiteboard that can be written on. So you would have two of them. One in the bathroom would be specific for the date and for a mark when the deed is done. The other white board in living room of kitchen for notes on what today's date is.

Good luck. It is extremely common for elders to be obsessed with either money and bills, or with whether or not the personal plumbing is working well.
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Reply to AlvaDeer
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You asked this same question on Feb 20 and received a few comments:

https://spisloshub.com/discussions/my-mom-doesnt-rememver-going-to-the-bathroom-when-she-had-gone-just-a-few-hours-earlier-is-this-a-co-492554.htm?orderby=recent

You cannot convince an elder with dementia of anything, so just change the subject. And as I'd said previously, ask moms doctor for calming meds to help her with OCD/ loop thinking.
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Reply to lealonnie1
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Tommybrooklyn Mar 2, 2025
Hi everyone! Thanks to everyone for this information. My mom refuses to take any medication, and also she was never formally diagnosed with dementia; although I feel something is definitely not the same with her cognitively. I was wondering if anyone had any ideas of how to reassure her that she did indeed go to the bathroom. She goes to move her bowels early in the morning (bet 4-5:30 am). Several hours later, she states that she just doesnt feel well, and feels bloated, and then she states repetitively, no matter how many times, and minutes after, I show her pictures that she has pooped, with the dates, along with a regular calendar, with check offs for each day, that "she hasn't gone for a week and a half." I wish there was something that I could show her visually, to allow her to be at ease that she did indeed go to the bathroom. Also, I do feel that my mom is experiencing some type of digestive problem, and she complains about feeling bloated, which she probably relates immediately to her not having a movement. I wish that there was a camera which could be installed into the toilet bowl, which would prove to her that she had gone, but I am simply out of ideas. This is all very upsetting to me. I pray for everyone who is going through situations like us.
XO
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