Alzheimer's Quirk?

FillyRider

The person whom I assist who has Alzheimer's has a quirk that I am wondering whether is Alzheimer's-related. I go for walks with them, and when they spot something on the ground, they pick it up and take it home. Some things they have spotted are a hair tie, a nickel, a small velcro strap, etc. Recently, they spotted a little plastic stretchy girl's bracelet. They then stopped a little girl on her bike to ask her if she wanted it. She shook her head. They then asked her mother if she wanted it to give to the girl, and she said no thank you. Today they spotted a plastic bottle cap and picked it up, and carried it a few steps, and then handed it to someone passing by and asked them to put it in the garbage (even though we were just steps from a garbage can). Today we encountered a garbage bag that had been torn open, and the contents had been strewn around (a couple of full dog poo bags that were still knotted at the top, some empty paper cups and straws, etc.) and they picked it all up with their bare hands and walked it over to the garbage receptacle. This behavior seems quirky to me, and I'm wondering if it is a symptom of their dementia. I don't feel comfortable with it because touching random stuff is unsanitary, and I don't think it is proper for them to do things like ask people to toss things in the trash or to offer a bracelet to a child they don't know.

Damiross

It's quirky to people without dementia. To someone with dementia, this is just normal. There's no such thing as normality in a person with dementia.

Jgirl57

yes, my DH does this. I have learned to carry hand wipes in my purse. We no longer go to places where other people are because he will engage in conversation and become inappropriate and not respond to my redirection. We stroll during the week through a church parking lot and he picks up all sorts of things . I eventually collect everything without him seeing and throw it all away.

SiberianIris

"Hunting and gathering" is listed in the DBAT as dementia behavior in early Stage 5.

Link to DBAT:

https://www.tamcummings.com/tools

qwood60

Good morning and everything everyone said before is true, especially that the abnormal will be their (and yours!), new normal.

FillyRider

https://alzconnected.org/discussion/comment/275968#Comment_275968

What a good idea to carry hand wipes! I'll start doing that. Thank you.

CharlieS

Ditto, @FillyRider My DH does the same, with the exception of handing them off to others. He brings everything home. Another thing he’s been doing the last year is commenting on every child we see. Children that are under 5. Tells the parent, usually the mom, how adorable they are. Which they are. But these are complete strangers and it’s not something he ever did before in our “normal” days.

kath1054

https://alzconnected.org/discussion/comment/275996#Comment_275996

that is so interesting! A month ago, I had moved my DH into memory care after 6 years of caregiving for him at home. My daughter’s 7 yr old son has visited him and engaged with many other residents playing board games and chatting and they all love him. Some even asked him when he’s coming back to visit. There’s something definitely to it, perhaps a connection with how they see the world?