My husband cannot sit still

Grannie B

My husband was diagnosed with Alzheimer's a year ago. He is constantly "rearranging" kitchen cabinets, garage shelves, etc. It seems like he cannot sit still and tends to overdo it every day. Suggestions?

charley0419

I’m pretty new at this but my wife had business for years and I took home left over stock( costume jewelry) it’s in 10 bins she checks them constantly, I say let them do not hurting anyone and keeps them happy

Grannie B

unfortunately, he moves everything to where I can't find it. Found the peanut butter in the garage...

Judy.T.

My husband is "rearranging" too. He can't sit, or do anything productive. I have learnt to let it go! If he chooses to rearrange his draws all day at least he is doing something. I have tried to redirect him to do a puzzle, play a game, dance in the kitchen, ect... to no avail. I find that only frustrates me more, so I just let him go.

CindyBum

Would putting a couple of children locks on a couple of the cupboards and let him rearrange the others maybe work?

Grannie B

He is still too aware of what's going on to put locks on the cupboards and would get angry

CindyBum

Well, shoot.

darcytg

Hello GrannieB,

My LO does similar things (ice cream in the oven and takes things from one spot and leaves them in another).

Sometimes I interrupt the "loop" with a request to join me for a snack or go outside. Mostly, I just get up early and redistribute, check as the day goes on for sanitation and safety issues and utilize an out of sight, out of mind strategy....that sometimes works and sometimes doesn't.

If it is not harmful...let it ride.

It helps for me to have a personal space that is organized and makes sense to me, just for my own peace of mind. Luckily, my LO rarely ventures to my space.

Peace.

Chammer

Ensure that anything valuable or important is put in an out of sight location so you don't lose that.

ThisLife

Or put important things in a locked location. For my loved one out of sight was out of mind, except when he started rummaging. I just had to be hyper alert to what he was doing and where things were located. It was not sustainable. He is in MC now. I now have 30 minutes to accomplish something and get it done as opposed to spending 30 minutes looking for materials and not even starting the job.

Jeanne C.

I put important and valuable things (documents, the good jewelry) in a lockbox and keep it in the locked closet in my office. I use the safety lock feature on the appliances. And I keep the meds in a locked case on a high shelf in the kitchen. And I have learned to live with the fact that I will repeatedly be told that the washer is broken (bc he can't open it) and will occasionally find cookies in his sock drawer.

Mimi50

My husband was diagnosed year ago. He does some rearranging all important papers have been in locked box. Since he was in Navy he retired in 2013. He can still take care of his daily living needs. Cook small meals and, take medication. Does dishes and puts them in right spot. But any big projects he is not able to organize and problem solve enough to finish them. I may look at getting things he can sort like buttons. I also saw on Amazon they had Montessori fidget boards that, work well for people with AD and dementia. I worked in childcare before my husband and I got married. I still help watch our 2 year old granddaughter and Nanny for my niece, and nephew. Our neighbors stay with my husband when I do those things. Never thought my background in childcare would benefit my husband with dementia. But it just might.

avieDa921)

My DH, 6 years ALZ, when going to bed would always put his wallet & keys on the top of his night stand. Now when he wakes up he can’t find them. I find them in the top drawer of the night stand or in the closet on the shelf. One morning he couldn’t find them so I looked in the places he put before, nope! I was looking everywhere, couldn’t find them. I was a little panicky, but knew they were in the house. Keep in mind, he has his credit cards & his medical insurance card in his wallet. Hours later I found them in my dresser drawer. I have since then removed all his credit cards & medical ins. card. I have also removed our truck ignition key off his key chain even though he lets me drive all the time and so far he has not noticed any of these items are missing! For six years I’ve figured out how to make things go smoother for both of us, especially me and it hasn’t been easy! It’s all trial & error.

It’s getting harder to figure out since he’s getting worse!