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Mom has this belief, since she can't remember that all the clothes/shoes, etc. that she has in her closet belong to her. She claims someone comes in house and leaves their clothes behind. If I say that ok, if they aren't your's let's get rid of them, no we can't. (no reason given). What to say to get around this?

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"well, let's have a look at them."
"hmm ... they seem to be all your size. Do you suppose someone is returning things they borrowed a while ago? Or maybe leaving you a gift?"
"however this got here it really is a nice outfit, and just your color. Why don't you just wear it? You even have some jewelry that would like with it."
"If you don't want to wear them and you don't think they are yours, let's fold them up and put them in a box, in case someone realizes their mistake and asks for them."

Is your mother disturbed or anxious that these "strange" clothes are showing up? If not, just take it in stride.
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It's my understanding that you cannot argue with someone who has dementia because they can no longer understand logic.... as Jeanne said about just take it in stride. Find some humor in it.
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"No, mom!! Nobody came in. Our princess deserves new clothes, so we bought them!"

I had the pleasure of telling mom that any time I got her dressed in street clothes. "Oh, mom! So glad you like it -- just came yesterday!" ;) ;)
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I had this in a slightly different way with my mom who has no short-term memory, but who can be reasoned with. She had a bad foot and I got her soft house slippers out of her closet to wear. Every time I'd go over to her place, she'd put them on the table for me to take home, thinking they were mine. I kept telling her they were hers, but she didn't remember owning them. We went through this probably 10-15 times. My mom's not argumentative and when I would tell her they were hers, she'd be OK. Then the next time I'd come over, there they were on the table for me again. It's enough to send you round the bend! I think Jeanne's advice is very good for someone with dementia that you can't reason with...
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Some of the things about clothes can be funny. My mother says that all the clothes in the closets are not hers. They were my father's. Trouble is that I know my father never wore women's clothes. At least I don't think he did. I don't argue with her, since it doesn't really matter.
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Jessie, was that side of the closet your father's side for his clothes? Maybe that is what your Mom is remembering :)
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Every single dresses and clothes, shoes, her names on it... Some dementia persons go trough their closet or dresser everyday! When you have to put away her clothes to her room do it when she's not there.... So she doesn't confusing someone else?
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ff, my father and mother had separate closets. I donated all of his clothes after he died. My mother has closets and racks of clothes, so she moved some of her things into his closet. Now I think in her mind his clothes are scattered in the different places with hers. I don't want to remind her I donated his clothes. It might be painful to remember.
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So THAT'S where all the clothes "stolen" from my mother's closet have gone. DKENN2010, I'm so glad we solved both mysteries today!

:-D
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Happens a lot here too. "These aren't my clothes" or she'll have me search for an outfit or article of clothing that she may have had 20 years ago or who knows, maybe she dreamt about it. Sometimes she asks if the clothes in her closet are mine. Gotta roll with it baby like Steve Winwood sings!
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I still have all my clothes, but I think my body was stolen and replaced with one that is old, fat and wrinkly. ;-)
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OMG, Pam, same thing happened to me.... what in the world !!! It was like it happened overnight. Oh well, at least all my shoes still fit :P
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I can still wear my clothes from 20 years ago. You know what you call that? Poor.
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I like the clothing I have from 20 years ago... it tends to hold up so much better than the stuff I am buying today that tends to shrink, pucker, with buttons falling off :P
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The things I buy now look 20 years old after one wash. I wish we would get back to making things in the USA.
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