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I. How We Work in Washington. Based on your preferences, we provide you with information about one or more of our contracted senior living providers ("Participating Communities") and provide your Senior Living Care Information to Participating Communities. The Participating Communities may contact you directly regarding their services. APFM does not endorse or recommend any provider. It is your sole responsibility to select the appropriate care for yourself or your loved one. We work with both you and the Participating Communities in your search. We do not permit our Advisors to have an ownership interest in Participating Communities.
II. How We Are Paid. We do not charge you any fee – we are paid by the Participating Communities. Some Participating Communities pay us a percentage of the first month's standard rate for the rent and care services you select. We invoice these fees after the senior moves in.
III. When We Tour. APFM tours certain Participating Communities in Washington (typically more in metropolitan areas than in rural areas.) During the 12 month period prior to December 31, 2017, we toured 86.2% of Participating Communities with capacity for 20 or more residents.
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V. Complaints. Please contact our Family Feedback Line at (866) 584-7340 or ConsumerFeedback@aplaceformom.com to report any complaint. Consumers have many avenues to address a dispute with any referral service company, including the right to file a complaint with the Attorney General's office at: Consumer Protection Division, 800 5th Avenue, Ste. 2000, Seattle, 98104 or 800-551-4636.
VI. No Waiver of Your Rights. APFM does not (and may not) require or even ask consumers seeking senior housing or care services in Washington State to sign waivers of liability for losses of personal property or injury or to sign waivers of any rights established under law.I agree that: A.I authorize A Place For Mom ("APFM") to collect certain personal and contact detail information, as well as relevant health care information about me or from me about the senior family member or relative I am assisting ("Senior Living Care Information"). B.APFM may provide information to me electronically. My electronic signature on agreements and documents has the same effect as if I signed them in ink. C.APFM may send all communications to me electronically via e-mail or by access to an APFM web site. D.If I want a paper copy, I can print a copy of the Disclosures or download the Disclosures for my records. E.This E-Sign Acknowledgement and Authorization applies to these Disclosures and all future Disclosures related to APFM's services, unless I revoke my authorization. You may revoke this authorization in writing at any time (except where we have already disclosed information before receiving your revocation.) This authorization will expire after one year. F.You consent to APFM's reaching out to you using a phone system than can auto-dial numbers (we miss rotary phones, too!), but this consent is not required to use our service.
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Mostly Independent
Your loved one may not require home care or assisted living services at this time. However, continue to monitor their condition for changes and consider occasional in-home care services for help as needed.
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My aunt with Alzheimer's did something very similar; she picked at her scalp until she was bald in certain areas. Nothing stopped her; not meds or fidget blankets, nothing.
You can purchase mittens online at Amazon to put on mom's hands:
My husband picks at his cuticles and hands bloody and then unaware he smears blood on sheets, sofa, walls, clothes, etc. These open wounds were extra scary with Covid but it was great to know where he had been messing around in the house when I wasn’t looking. :(
Some captive birds will pluck themselves bald from the neck down and as you can probably figure, it could be due to dietary and medical reasons, and there are two other possibilities.
First, not getting enough attention. (I hated to mention that because, man it's already a 24/7 thing for caregivers, but you know what I'm talking about), and the second and the key that worked for us, as again you know, is a lack of mental stimulation.
Crossword puzzles once helped. Now books of great photographic images of animals, with absolutely no text, are helpful. Cute baby animals photos work best in our case. I dump all my clean rags and ask him to fold them. At a craft store like Michaels and I bought soft balls of very thick and medium thick yarn and make a wild mess of easy knots and then say “help” and give it to him to undo. I have tons of socks and ask him to match them up. Who cares if they are not. I got a few minutes of peace out of it. There is a website called The Alzheimer Store where I get ideas and make my own version of something I see or I make the purchase. I know what age my husband's manual capabilities have reached and go to the children's section of book stores to find stuff. He was at 10, then eight, he's closing in on 6. I still admire all the things he fixed and built, when he was well, for our house. He needs to be busy. Online I bought kinetic desk toys which make him feel like he made something happen. I bought a Simpl (no e on Simpl) one touch radio that is pre-recorded with his beloved '40's music.
Hello With my mom I have found that a combination of anti-anxiety medication (Xanax) and distraction (folding towels, looking at her pop-up books or dolls, etc.) helps out a lot. My mom chews her fingers when she’s sundowning and over anxious and really confused. I’m going to make her a fidget blanket to see if that helps.
My mom picked at a spot on the tip of her nose and it looked awful. It went on for quite a while and we talked with her doctor about it and he put her on a med but I don't remember what (it's been a few years). Something they give for OCD. She finally left it alone and it healed up. Ask you mom's dr about it.
I know from experience there is nothing that will work, short of having her in restraints. My mom picks at herself so bad, face, arms, upper back, legs, that sores looked like they were getting infected. The doctor said he's never seen it this bad. We just had to start rubbing antibiotic cream on her sores or someone sit with her 24/7 to slap her hands away. Sitting with her 24/7 was not going to happen. She is on medication, but nothing stops her. I bought her fidget toys & coloring books, she just wants to pick her nose & pick her sores. This is just a way of life for her now.
I have no solutions. My mother does the same thing. She has temporarily stopped picking at her face and her sore places have healed. She does pick her nose and her scalp quite a bit and nothing has stopped her yet.
Speak with the Dr. There are disorders (trichotrillomania sp? Which is hair pulling, but there are others) that are compulsive (OCD type) disorders that I think dementia may bring out. Mentally disabled people have these issues sometimes. Usually anti anxiety meds help, but as most know, once dementia really takes hold, there not much that can be done.
My husband pulls at his mustache or the hair on his arms. His anti anxiety meds helped a little.
By proceeding, I agree that I understand the following disclosures:
I. How We Work in Washington.
Based on your preferences, we provide you with information about one or more of our contracted senior living providers ("Participating Communities") and provide your Senior Living Care Information to Participating Communities. The Participating Communities may contact you directly regarding their services.
APFM does not endorse or recommend any provider. It is your sole responsibility to select the appropriate care for yourself or your loved one. We work with both you and the Participating Communities in your search. We do not permit our Advisors to have an ownership interest in Participating Communities.
II. How We Are Paid.
We do not charge you any fee – we are paid by the Participating Communities. Some Participating Communities pay us a percentage of the first month's standard rate for the rent and care services you select. We invoice these fees after the senior moves in.
III. When We Tour.
APFM tours certain Participating Communities in Washington (typically more in metropolitan areas than in rural areas.) During the 12 month period prior to December 31, 2017, we toured 86.2% of Participating Communities with capacity for 20 or more residents.
IV. No Obligation or Commitment.
You have no obligation to use or to continue to use our services. Because you pay no fee to us, you will never need to ask for a refund.
V. Complaints.
Please contact our Family Feedback Line at (866) 584-7340 or ConsumerFeedback@aplaceformom.com to report any complaint. Consumers have many avenues to address a dispute with any referral service company, including the right to file a complaint with the Attorney General's office at: Consumer Protection Division, 800 5th Avenue, Ste. 2000, Seattle, 98104 or 800-551-4636.
VI. No Waiver of Your Rights.
APFM does not (and may not) require or even ask consumers seeking senior housing or care services in Washington State to sign waivers of liability for losses of personal property or injury or to sign waivers of any rights established under law.
I agree that:
A.
I authorize A Place For Mom ("APFM") to collect certain personal and contact detail information, as well as relevant health care information about me or from me about the senior family member or relative I am assisting ("Senior Living Care Information").
B.
APFM may provide information to me electronically. My electronic signature on agreements and documents has the same effect as if I signed them in ink.
C.
APFM may send all communications to me electronically via e-mail or by access to an APFM web site.
D.
If I want a paper copy, I can print a copy of the Disclosures or download the Disclosures for my records.
E.
This E-Sign Acknowledgement and Authorization applies to these Disclosures and all future Disclosures related to APFM's services, unless I revoke my authorization. You may revoke this authorization in writing at any time (except where we have already disclosed information before receiving your revocation.) This authorization will expire after one year.
F.
You consent to APFM's reaching out to you using a phone system than can auto-dial numbers (we miss rotary phones, too!), but this consent is not required to use our service.
You can purchase mittens online at Amazon to put on mom's hands:
https://www.amazon.com/s?k=alzheimers+mittens&crid=JLWWW1VADSM4&sprefix=alzheimers+mittens%2Caps%2C257&ref=nb_sb_ss_retrain-deeppltr_1_18
The mittens will prevent her from harming her face and scalp, IF she cannot figure a way to remove them from her hands.
Otherwise, consult her doctor to see if anti anxiety meds may help.
Good luck!
Some captive birds will pluck themselves bald from the neck down and as you can probably figure, it could be due to dietary and medical reasons, and there are two other possibilities.
First, not getting enough attention. (I hated to mention that because, man it's already a 24/7 thing for caregivers, but you know what I'm talking about), and the second and the key that worked for us, as again you know, is a lack of mental stimulation.
Crossword puzzles once helped. Now books of great photographic images of animals, with absolutely no text, are helpful. Cute baby animals photos work best in our case.
I dump all my clean rags and ask him to fold them.
At a craft store like Michaels and I bought soft balls of very thick and medium thick yarn and make a wild mess of easy knots and then say “help” and give it to him to undo.
I have tons of socks and ask him to match them up. Who cares if they are not. I got a few minutes of peace out of it.
There is a website called The Alzheimer Store where I get ideas and make my own version of something I see or I make the purchase.
I know what age my husband's manual capabilities have reached and go to the children's section of book stores to find stuff. He was at 10, then eight, he's closing in on 6. I still admire all the things he fixed and built, when he was well, for our house. He needs to be busy.
Online I bought kinetic desk toys which make him feel like he made something happen.
I bought a Simpl (no e on Simpl) one touch radio that is pre-recorded with his beloved '40's music.
He still picks but way, way less.
Have you consulted any medical people about this?
Are either or both her scalp and face dry if not extremely dry?
How much moisture is she consuming in her food? How much water does she drink daily?
Has she been tested for allergies for any skin cream she's using?
With my mom I have found that a combination of anti-anxiety medication (Xanax) and distraction (folding towels, looking at her pop-up books or dolls, etc.) helps out a lot. My mom chews her fingers when she’s sundowning and over anxious and really confused.
I’m going to make her a fidget blanket to see if that helps.
When I see my LO picking skin off her lips, I hand her a stick of lip balm and stand there to make sure she use it.
When she start picking on her arms, legs or forehead, I put baby oil on the area to make it real slippery so her hands keep sliding off.
My husband pulls at his mustache or the hair on his arms. His anti anxiety meds helped a little.
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