When you are caring for a loved one with Alzheimer's disease, it appears that the moment you enter into the car or a restaurant, it is time to go to the restroom, just like when you are caring for a toddler. While it has become a little simpler with more establishments offering "Family Restrooms" that are larger and allow either or both sexes to use the facility at the same time, as well as being more private, you will not find this luxury everywhere. It is critical to plan ahead of time and be prepared.

Make a point of visiting areas with peaceful, public restroom near me. Wandering down a dark hallway and into a darker restroom while listening to loud music might throw your life into disarray. It will only take one visit to a restroom like this for you to swear off making the same mistake.

Locals with only one or two stalls should be avoided. Many people will allow you to cut in line if it is an emergency, while others will not comprehend why it is hard to wait. Many things no longer make sense to an Alzheimer's patient, notably standing in a long, frequently odorous line.

Choose the handicapped stall whenever feasible. It's broader, so you'll have more room to maneuver, and there's usually a shelf for hanging your bag and removing things like wipes and clean clothes if your trip to the restroom turns into wet or dirty pants. This is one reason to keep a change of clothes and wipes in your backpack at all times. Backpacks are spacious enough to fit all of your essentials, and they sling over one shoulder or both shoulders, leaving your hands free. Alzheimer's disease might put you in difficult situations, and you'll need every tool you can get to help you.

The following stage is made easier with easy-to-wear pull-on pants with elastic rather than snaps, zippers, or belts. Remember that you and your loved one are out and about in a different environment, and even though you've been here a hundred times, it may all seem new to someone with dementia. You've generated a semi-confrontational situation by turning her around to be able to sit down on the toilet. Face-to-face and up close can be intimidating. Worse, you now have to pull down the victim's pants, which often feels like an invasion of privacy - which it is. In a mini-tug-of-war, you'll pull down as she wrestles the pants up. Once you've gotten them down, attempt to get them as near to the floor as possible so they're out of reach of your loved one. This eliminates some of the constant reaching to snap and yank the pants upward. You want to fix and/or remove as many problems as possible because there are more on the horizon.

When you've won the pants-pushing contest, it's time to persuade your loved one to take a seat.

Remember: new setting, weird happenings, maybe strange noises, and now you're forced to push your loved one down onto a cold, hard, unfamiliar toilet seat while she's terrified and upset. Perhaps you have a liner in place, but it has dropped into the toilet or onto the floor because it was the last thing on your mind. Alzheimer's patients tend to buckle their knees at this point, adding to the sitting battle. Never lose patience while pleading, asking softly, or gently nudging. Anger never produces the finest outcomes. You will succeed if you give yourself enough time and have enough perseverance and tenacity. She'll now question what's going on nine times out of 10 and reply, "I don't have to go." She might or might not, but mumble, "Please try," as if she were a child. Although I believe adult diapers to be degrading, you can see why they are occasionally necessary clothing.

It is sometimes easier with men because the turn, pull, and shove approach is eliminated, but getting the penis out and directed into the toilet or urinal is sometimes impossible, resulting in potty stains on clothing and shoes. You can use the hand dryer to address the problem, or you can rely on your change of clothes (fast pull-ons only). While in the delicate toilet dance, I only cared for my mother and sister, it's difficult to envision me dragging and pointing toward the target with my father's private parts in hand. If I had to, I could do it, but wow! What a starring part!

"Number 2" adds to everyone's discomfort, especially the caregivers. Most of us happily sign on to look after those we care about, yet unclean adult underwear can cause heaves and horrors. A change of clothes, a large container of wipes, and a damp washcloth are all essential survival items. It's also possible that a powerful shot of alcohol will be required. I'm making a joke here, but I'm well aware of how difficult toileting can be.