My mom who has dementia (at least 5 years) has started urinating on two throw rugs. One in her bedroom and one by the washing machine. These are the only two places she has had "accidents". Does anyone know what Agnosia is or have had any experience with your LO that has incontinence in "particular" spot? I've found a little on internet. Thanks for any replies - this site has been a great source of information.

Aperceptive Agnosia? When they can no longer recognize shapes? Like, maybe she thinks she's in the bathroom or that she sees an appropriate place to urinate? Or that she can't quite keep the image of a toilet in her brain so she goes where she believes it is appropriate to go.

You should make sure that she doesn't have a UTI, urinary tract infection, which can make our ADLO's do some crazy stuff or to become even more confused. It seems pretty commom, although I haven't had a lot of experience with it with Dad so far.

Thanks Lammie - I did have her checked for UTI and she doesn't have it.

I've seen other posters talk about an ADLO who will urinate in the trashcan rather than the toilet, for example, so I don't think it's that unusual to have a "specific place."

Some things to try:

colored toilet seat instead of white

large picture of toilet on door of bathroom in case the real problem is not knowing where the toilet is

putting her on toileting schedule - taking her by hand every two hours, say, and leading her to bathroom whether she thinks she needs to go or not

Wow! I didn't know it had a name. My mom has urinated in her shoe and in the waste paper basket in the bathroom. I'm amazed at her aim. That's alot harder then sitting on toilet. Of course this drives me nuts. I need to buy stock in the carpet clearner that I use.

quote:

Originally posted by Rosemarie D.:
Wow! I didn't know it had a name. My mom has urinated in her shoe and in the waste paper basket in the bathroom. I'm amazed at her aim. That's alot harder then sitting on toilet. Of course this drives me nuts. I need to buy stock in the carpet clearner that I use.

Thanks Rosemarie but wondering does your mom do this all the time OR does she sometimes still use the toilet? Also, how long has she been doing it and what stage do you think she's in. I know, this is really weird - it seems like they're not incontinent (at least definition I've read) but that they use "whatever" as a toilet.

When I was a teenager I did laundry part time at a NH where my dad worked. He would plug me into all sorts of jobs when staff were on vacation. Anyway, dirty linens were collected in those huge grey trash cans on wheels. I'd see this one little old man coming around. He'd reach into those barrels like he was feeling something and then he'd urinate into them! ARGH! Right there in the hall. And by the time I saw it, it was too late. It mortified his poor wife, who was always up there sitting with him. She told me that he was once some sort of inspector at a cotton gin. I guess he was feeling the bolls.

That was back before anyone said "Alzheimer's" but that's what he had... or some other dementia.

I spent more time washing out trash barrels.

I'm not sure what stage she's in. She has many health issues. She weighs 88lbs. She still eats and takes all her meds. She has a hard time communicating. She only uninates in strange places once in awhile. Maybe once a week. I can take her to the bathroom and she will ask me where's the toilet and how to use it. Sorry I can't help but I'm here to talk any time.