Wants to constantly use the bathroom.

Maryf302 · December 6

Hi I am new looking for some advise on maybe how to distract my person from this behavior.
My DH is in moderate stage Alz. He does not understand time and has just started becoming obsessed about using the bathroom to urinate.
He will use the bathroom and a few minutes later wants try again and of course cannot go and becomes frustrated. This will continue for hours.
Any advise appreciated.
Thanks Mary

jfkoc · December 6

Perhasps it is not a time thing but a silent UTI which would need to be ruled out asap since they can become very serious.

Get tested at an Urgent Cqre and be certain they do a culture.

jgreen · December 6

Urgency and not being able to go are signs of possible urinary tract infection (UTI). I agree with @jfkoc - get him tested.

Glad you found us. Let us know how he (and you) are doing.

H1235 · December 7

Welcome. I agree with the others that you should have him tested for a uti. If he has no uti could you distract him each time he wants to go. I imagine you have probably tried that. It might also be some other medical problem. Maybe it’s time to talk to his doctor just to get a better idea what’s going on.

Goodlife2025 · December 7

Hi, I agree with all above about ruling out any medical reasons for the behavior. However, I will chime in with my DW it has been a steady 14 months of needing to go pee constantly whether she needs to or not. She will use the bathroom before we leave the house and immediately upon arriving at say the grocery store ( 5 minute drive) need to go again. It is constant, I have learned to just plan for it no matter what we are doing. I think something about the behavior is a comfort to her; it maybe gives her a a sense that she can still control herself, her life, the next five minutes. It has been one of those areas where I just live in her world, accepting that it takes us longer to go or do anything, but makes her feel "normal" some how.

SDianeL · December 7

If a UTI or other medical issues are ruled out it could be progression of the disease. The changes in a person's brain that occur with dementia can interfere with a person's ability to recognize the need to go to the toilet, or to be able to wait until it is appropriate to go to the toilet. It may precede incontinence. Here are the causes of toilet obsession:

Cognitive Impairment: Difficulty recognizing bladder/bowel fullness or understanding the toilet's purpose.
Anxiety & Fear: Feeling unsafe, anxious, or a need for reassurance, leading to repeated checking.
Communication Barriers: Inability to express needs clearly.
Memory Loss: Forgetting they just went or the bathroom's location.
Medication Side Effects: Some drugs can worsen bladder/bowel issues.
Underlying Medical Issues: Urinary tract infections (UTIs), constipation, or prostate problems.
Obsessive-Compulsive Traits: Common in some dementias (e.g., Frontotemporal Dementia).

SDianeL · December 7

here are some tips: Dementia can cause obsessive-compulsive behaviors like repeated toilet use, often stemming from anxiety, memory loss, or difficulty with sequential tasks, leading to confusion or checking.

Use strategies like redirection, distraction, routines, visual cues (bathroom signs/pictures), simple instructions, distraction, ensuring comfort (warmth), and ruling out medical issues (UTIs, constipation) to manage these challenges, focusing on maintaining dignity while providing gentle, consistent support.

Anti anxiety medication may help.

.

H1235 · December 7

Incontinence is common with dementia. I wonder if it could be that he is obsessively worried about having an accident. Maybe some depends would help.

Wants to constantly use the bathroom.

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