My Mom is 91 and living with me. She goes through at LEAST 5 rolls of toilet paper a week. One full bottle of hand soap and extremely ridiculous amounts of tissues and 250 napkins per month. Is this boredom? Is this typical? I am spending so much on paper products not to mention cleaning products. Is there anyone else going through this? I actually may have to pump my septic system soon.
To keep the toilet from being plugged the caregiver has to supervise her.
I would dilute the hand soap.
Also she was pumping the toilet flush handle disconnecting it and causing the toilet to run constantly. Now her caregiver does the flush.
Her purse, which is contains her wallet (same $20 bill for the last two years), and a picture of her brother, is always stuffed with tissues.
She has a trash can, but doesn’t remember what it’s for.
I take her a new box of tissues once a week, if she’s not ill (which she hardly ever is. She will outlive me.) That’s it. If she runs out before that, she has to use toil tissue. I reimburse myself from her funds, so she pays for those.
She uses tons of toilet tissue, but that’s included with her MC bill.
It’s a dementia thing.
You need to get Mom evaluated and find out what type of Dementia she has. This is important because some Dementia's can only take certain meds. From what you have said, ur Mom is pretty much into Dementia and should not be alone. She either has an aide or she is placed with her paying. Assisted living is usually private pay. Medicaid rarely pays for AL or Memory care. Check with them. Most States they only cover Long-term care.
She used to hoard butters, cream cheese and any small leftovers she could when in AL, plus rocks, shells and sticks. She had around 200 shells & rocks alone in her room.
We had to move her to MC because of these issues. She no longer has a refrigerator and when she goes on walks there is an aid with her.
I thought you were going to move her to MC, that would resolve some of these issues.
Your mother has lived with you for 9 months now. If you work full time, then who is with her during the day? Why do your sibs tell you there is no other choice? Why were you the one who had to take her in? What is your mother's financial situation? Are you her POA/HCPOA?
My friend’s mom did the same. It was because of dementia. His mom couldn’t remember how to use the right amounts. My friend hired a caregiver, who helps in the bathroom. The problem was completely solved.
Have you given thought to how you might change it?
Don't you think that this is all a bit much?
There are choices you just need to explore them.
Does she have dementia? If so, she probably does not recognize that she is waaay overdoing it. There are probably ways to curtail this, at least a little. Don't leave extra TP in the bathroom. If you have another bathroom, when that roll gets low, put it in mom's bathroom.
Handsoap - switch out for a bar of soap? Switch to foaming hand soap?
Tissues - give her a hanky? My 97 MIL goes through tons cuz she is constantly dabbing at her nose.
Napkins - switch to cloth? Get smaller ones?
Good luck