Hi...this is really gross, but I am at my wits end and fill physically ill by this.

My dad is in begin stage of 6. He was constipated about 4 days ago. Which he was VERY upset about. We got that problem solved, apparently by all the poo that is everywhere. At first he seemed like he probably wasn't wiping, but I just went in the bathroom and there is actually poo in the floor in 2 different places. It is on the toilet, on the toilet paper holder and toilet paper roll, on the towel, and smeared on different things. There is toilet paper on the floor, and he has been telling me "I am sorry that this is probably be rude to talk about, but I think someone else should know", and he will tell me in details how much he used the bathroom. I am so sick by this I want to throw up as I type this and every time I think about his bathroom. Has anybody else come across this, and what in the world do you think he is doing with poo in the floor. He stays in the bathroom a long time and I hear the sink running forever. I don't know what to do. He has been getting it on his sheets every morning when he puts on his clothes, so we have to wash his dirty sheets, pajamas, underwear, everything every morning because they are filthy. Please help with any Advice. Sorry this is so gross.

I understand the bathroom. For me it hasn't gotten to that point but I have had to do some pretty disgusting thigs. I make it a point very time she gos in the bathroom I go with her and I put on my rubber gloves and use baby wipes and do the cleaning myself. That might be a way to keep the mess up alittle and I know that it isn's convenient. I have my mother and I kow that whenmy father was sick with cancer I had to do things for him I never thought I could but I found the strength. I hope this helps

KathyGa., I too have had the same problem with my mother-in-law. I would ask my father-in-law if was making sure that she was wiping herself properly and he would say yes. Well my-mother-in-law wasn't. I had to carry her to the bathroom on day and when I finally got her underclothes down so she could get on the pot, you can just imagin. U got her clothes off and caried them to the my living where my husband and my father-in-law was sitting talking. I told my husband that I knew he didn't want to see his mothers underwear, but I held the things up in front of his father and ask him this. Why did you tell me that you had been cleaning (Mom) my mother -in-law when you haven't? Would you like to go around like this?
After that I went to their house and the bathroom was just like yours. It took me two and half hours to clean the bathroom. Then I too checked the bedroom. I had to change all the linens and wash them. Then I called my hisband sister for her to come over. I told my-father-in-law that he has to stay in the bath with my mother-in-law when she is using it to keep her from getting poo all over herself as well as the bath. By the time I was through I had worked out a schedule for him. I brought an alarm clock and sat it for it to go off every hour, so that he would know to check my my-mother-in-law to see if she had had a accident so that he could cleaner her up. Like I explained to him , my-mother-in-law is like a 18month old baby. You to make sure that they get something to eat and drink, take their meds, clean and change underwear when needed, If you don't feel comfrontable staying in the bathroom with your dad, ask you husband, brother, son if they would mine helping out. Also chcek to see if you could get an aid to come in and help. God Bless you and I will keep you in prayers.

Kathy,
My MIL is stage 6,is incontinent with severe arthritis. What we must do is use Depends and every two hours she is taken to the bathroom. This way we are positive she is cleaned properly after bowel movements and has proper undergarments on. Also may I suggest a waterproof bed pad for accidents at night. The baby wipes are excellent for caregivers and quick wipes after a meal.

Nancy

This is why I have joined this group. My mother is in later stages and she pees in her pants constantly, and doesn't clean up. It's very tough because she was always impecable with her clothing and hygiene. When my sister attempts to bathe her, or get her to change clothing she gets angry. Unless someone has any other ideas, I'm afraid it's time to get her into a dedicated facility with pros who deal with this level of Alzheimer.

Just a note, I finally figuered out how the poo gets on the floor, at least in Mom's case. She doesn't realize it's in her underwear (depends) and as she's pulling them down, it gets all over her legs, feet, and falls onto the floor. Also, I found her standing up to pee before, with her pants down but shooting straight back onto the floor. I try to make sure she gets her pants all the way down, and sits correctly on the toilet. I also use lots and lots and lots of baby wipes! It has become easier this way. Also, someone will come in to your house at least twice a week to help clean your Loved One up - shower, toilet, clothing etc, and it's paid for by medicare. Talk to your GP or Neurologist. I believe they have to state she/he is "homebound", which they are because they can't go anywhere alone.

Hope

Dear All,

If you haven't already done so, you may find some helpful tips on dealing with incontinence in the following Association website. http://www.alz.org/national/documents/topicsheet_incontinence.pdf.

You all are doing well in being supportive of each other and providing helpful suggestions to deal with this difficult caregiving issue. What matters the most as you care for your loved one is that you are doing your best.

You are welcome to call our 24-hour helpline to discuss this issue with a Care Consultant. Feel free to also visit the Caregiver Forum. Thank you for using the Alzhiemer's Association Online Community.

Sincerely,

Mini V.

My husband has AD but no bathroom issues yet. But I do. Since l985 I cannot control my bowels sometimes my urine. I won't go into the reasons, tests and treatment. I wear diapers - I like the ones from Target and cut the sides to take them off rather than pull them down. I carry an arsenal of extra panties, diapers, wipes, plastic bags for the waste, etc. I have learned that skirts are much easier than pants. Pants make it hard to clean and spreads it around in more places. This is really awful, but when it is real bad, I have as many layers on that I can - a couple of slips, diapers, pads, extra panties and still worried that won't be enough, then those are the days I wear brown clothes, just in case something happens. Those are the days I am only out to go to the doctor. I am always checking where I sit and will take a newspaper and put it down before I sit. I keep towels in the car and sit on one.I really have to watch what I eat and have to prepare several days in advance with my eating in order to go to church or out to a function.
I have found that if I put baby oil on every part down there I can, the poop wipes off easier. Also, the less bottom hair that is down there makes it easier. I know where all the restrooms are in town and how long it takes to get to them and which ones are multiple instead of just a single rest room. Also, I only wear cotton panties so I can bleach them and provide more protection. I wear them over the diaper and also with pads. Sometimes I wear several pair at once. This condition started in my 50's. I am able to hide it from most people and I don't attend any function unless I know where there is a bathroom close by. That is usually the first question I ask - is where are the barthrooms and check them out before I go in.
I do have to make very quick, sometimes "rude' exits which I cannot explain and hope people understand. I have the hand santizers in every form in all the places I can. I keep a sanitizer cleaning spray in the bathroom as I have to use it so often. Hope this helps someone. Not fun, but very real

My MIL has been having these kind of "poo problems" for a little longer than a year.

She will try to clean it up herself and make a bigger mess and it is awful.

We had to buy commercial grade ionizer and air purifiers to get rid of the smell of her bowels from our home. It was the worst. The smell. It was a constant gross disgusting smell.

We now have her in diapers and I check her every two hours for pee and poop. She is very embarrassed for us to help her, although apparently not embarrassed enough to go in the toilet properly.. so when she fights me too much and starts making a mess, I call in the calvary. I call her son to help.

She'd rather go into the jowls of satan himself than have her son help. So, just the threat that I will call him will make her become more compliant.

We had this checked out. They actually did a sphincter test and we found out that the muscle was very loose. She can hold her poop, but not for long and she is unable to squeeze it out. She just poops as it comes down the shute.

She does have some control, but not enough to avoid accidents.

It is how she deals with the accidents that is the hardest for me to handle too.

This is from a woman who was outrageously fastidious about her personal hygiene and personal grooming. I honestly don't think she ever pharted in front of her husband! She never did in front of her children. (In our home, sadly, our children have given names to the quality of slipped pharts that we all have, and it quite a chuckle.. gross, but can you imagine how awful we will be with dementia?)

Anyway, the truth is that it IS gross. For me, the use of diapers and checking her every two hours and making her sit on the pot about 45 minutes after she's eaten helped.

I've become a great poop prognosticator and catcher.

I went to my mom's apartment and was checking to see what she needed. It smelled like a barn. She has stacks of incontinent pads and briefs full of poop wrapeed up very neatly and folded in paper towels. I said, "What's this?" She said ,"Oh, I was going to throw those away downstairs. She has since done it many times, I look at it as my little gifts. When she's at our house I have to search her when she comes out of the bathroom we have to search her as she hides them in her clothes and takes them home with her.

Dear jschmidt,

I have responded to your comments in "Independent vs. Assisted Living"
If you would like, please check that thread for my response.

Thank You.

Jaimie E.

Alzheimer's Association
Care Consultant

I can so understand the frustration in the "poop" issue. It is one of the many reasons why last year we decided to place my Dad in an Assisted Living place. I still to this day can not figure out how he got poop on absolutely everything. The worst was when I opened the refrigerator door and there was poop on the milk carton handle! I was constantly on "poop" patrol and cleaning it from the bathroom floor, sink, wall, sheets, bedspread, clothes, etc. Maybe it is time to think of other arrangements for you Dad. Do you have siblings that help? It's so hard to know what to do but please remember that you need a life too.

Elaine

I can understand the frustration with poo problems. For some reason my mom sticks her finger in her bottom and gets poo all over her fingers. I asked her why she does this and she said it's the only way to get it out. She won't drop the toilet paper into the stool when she wipes but brings it out and holds on to it. I'm not sure why she has this problem or how to deal with it also.

Dagma, you are not alone. I am suffering fecal incontinence due to a prolapsed uterus. A hysterectomy will fix it. My ins only pays 22% however, leaving me with the rest to pay. I dont work, and get an income cap trust from my DH's soc sec disability. Theres not enuff to cover a hysterectomy. Going out to school, to look for work? grocery shoppign? I order Schwans now, and am in constant fear of a problem. I hate the color brown, but yep I have a wardrobe of brown pants/skirts. One way or other, looks like i'm wearing brown! lol

Just wanted to respond to u, you are not alone. Thankyou for posting, I'm not alone now either.

Kathy,
Going through the same thing. Poop on areas of the toilet I had no idea you could get poop on, on and the tub, from her fingers it gets transferred on the light switch and then into her bedroom. Yes, I wash sheets several times a week too. It can be overwhelming and the smell is unreal.
We have my GMIL in Depends like underwear and make sure she gets a bath everyday. We also have her use damp disposable wipes. I also just came across toilet seat covers that can be flushed. Stumbled upon then at a Walgreens. Helps protect the toilet seat.
My GMIL is stage 5. My husband got so frustrated one morning that he very gently lead her into her bedroom and showed her the messy sheets. Of course she was completely embarrassed BUT it registered with her and things got a lot better. We also leave a note on the bath room mirror to remind her to wash her hands.
I felt so bad confronting her but in our case it worked. Every now and then we gently remind her if things get really bad and she makes an effort to wash her hands.
I know this method wont work forever but I am thankful it is now.
I would just make sure he is bathed fequently for sanitary reasons and maybe try a note in the bathroom for him.
Dont feel bad I asked for advice on this site too.

I'm having the same issue. She doesn't even know she has had a bowel movement. I give her a depend to change and if I don't watch her she will not do it. I woke up one morning to get ready for work and there was poop everywhere!!...a large deposit in the bathroom floor (right as you walk in), deposits (nice size)in several places of her carpeted bedroom floor and as I went search for others there were items of clothing with it on there...a large deposit in the trash can.

Since, then it's constant and lately it is several times a day. The smell is awful and nauseous. Like something dead!!!

Chris,
Wow - not to say your post made me feel good - but it did. My mom was and I think still is doing the same thing. Fingers are the only way to get it out.

Thinking of you and wishing you well
Kathy