eating things (soap)

[SusanCollins]

Hi
I am new. My mom died of Cancer this past summer and my father's dementia has been escalating. He is living in a very nice assisted living situation. Last week, the caregiver who visits him every morning to help him with clothes and bathing discovered that his mouth was swollen. They subsequently found toothmarks in the soap and took him to the hospital. Apparently he ate about 1/4 bar of soap and had an allergic reaction. Fortunately, his throat did not swell shut. He has also been very agitated and takes apart his room. He has an ongoing delusion that he is a judge and is active on cases (he was a lawyer). The staff where is is are wonderful. They have increased his portions in case he ate soap because he was hungry and was unable to tell them. Dad has always had a good appetite, more than most of the other residents. The meals at this place are quite good, and the staff is creative and caring. He has also been putting toothpaste and/or shoe polish in his hair, thinking that it is that VO-5 hair gel stuff. Sorry I've been rambling, but please email me if you have had experience with inappropriate munching!! Thanks, Susan

[friend]

My mother had dementia and also ate inappropriate things...they may mistake objects for foods they remember.
Just keep all those things out of his reach when he is alone.

This has to be so upsetting for you, watching him deteriorate from who he was...it seemed worse than death, to me. I felt my mother was in a mental prison.
Thankfully, thye don't really know what they did.

[solamia]

I care for my mother-in-law who was diagnosted with alzheimer's and I have to keep a close eye on her because she will find things and try to eat them.One day she put bengay on a piece of bread and started to eat it but i caught her before she could.She also have a habit of saving her food to eat later.She put a half of hamburger in her purse and I didn't know it when she decided to eat it it had moled on it so now i check her purse regulars.No matter how many times a day i feed her she is always hungry.