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Boy, oh boy! If I had a dollar for each time I've heard this today, I'd be one wealthy lady!!... And, if she only knew that I have taken her keys away from her along time ago, she'd wring my neck off!! But, what do I do??? Help her look for them until she forgets (10-15 minutes) later, that is what I do!!... Tomorrow, who know's, it may be her med's, purse, or even ME she is looking for!!... DOG, the bounty hunter, doesn't have a thing on me because I HUNT ALL DAY, and sometimes at night!! It is what it is, and I know it isn't gonna get any better, but I sure do dread getting up in the morning's to hear the 'same old, same old', all day. H.E.L.P

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Chicago 1954 has a good idea. Also, try distracting her. "Mom, I'll look for them in a minute. First, would you look at this picture?" or something other than the keys.

Also Dysfunctional Family Bingo - Google it! Keep a tally of how many episodes in a day, and at night reward yourself with that many M&M's, or that many ML's of wine, or that many minutes in a bathtub with candles. Make it a game by keeping statistics for a month or so.

Mostly, don't let it get to you. It is going to happen. She can't stop it. You can't stop it, Chuckle and go on. Secretly straighten your house while you pretend to look for the keys. Easy to say and hard to do, but TRY for the sake of your sanity.
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When Mom is having one of those days I tell her....Mom, if you ask me that one more time...the HAT is going on. Then I check on her a little while later, wearing our "remember...Life's a party" hat and she laughs and doesn't ask again.( See my pic for me and Mom in our "Party" hats.)
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At least you was brave enough to take the keys, I guess I was scaired of the cause/effect, action/reaction (she's very mean these days..lol)...but now since the hearing, and she's deemed incompetent..the state took her license...Hurray!!!
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my husband (ALZ-82) is just like you describe, every day it is the keys keys keys, I moved his car for 2 weeks ( as was suggested on this forum) he never noticed then the day I planned on putting it up for sale, all hell broke loose, he went berserk seeing the car was not there so the next day I put it back in the carport. he has not had access to the keys for a year, so I am back where I started, him wanting the keys, I made up a dummy set of keys for him & he broke off a key in the lock of MY car door....had to start hiding my car keys ( different car) also as last week he took them from my purse & tried to open his car, oh my wish this would end so we could move on to another situation here. They can be sweet as can be then Wham with the constant chatter of keys, car, keys, car.. I have to hide all keys and have one heck of a time finding them sometimes leaving me post it notes for me does not work as he reads them also. Good luck with this, if anyone has the answer please please let us know.
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This is what I mean by "The hardest thing about telling a loved one they have dementia is telling them over and over and over again." We don't actually say it,but every time we have to show them a calendar or take the keys or check book...it reminds them, however briefly. The look on Moms face, in clear moments, when she realizes WHY I do what I do....breaks my heart...over and over again.
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What if you give her some keys? Put them on her key chain or whatever. Give her several keys, several purses, and chiclets in her med bottles. I wouldn't be able to put up with the constant chatter. Good luck.
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You need something that you can spring on her when she is looking for something--something that she loves and will surprise her but not scare her--ummm, one of those stupid singing fish from years back? A stuffed dog dressed like Elvis that sings "Ain't Nothin' but a Hound Dog" ? A card that plays the chicken dance? Something to really snap her out of her intent.

I am sorta kidding sorta not. Of course you run the risk of being driven crazy by a singing fish.....

Hang in there. (((hugs)))
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Oh, BoniChak --I have been thinking that you spiked your hair and your Mom's hair into faux hawks-fake Mohawks !!! I thought that was so funny!!! The party hats are adorable too!! But I still like to think you and your Mom are going punk! :0)
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Praise God other people have the same problems I do! I too would recommend giving her some keys, but did you ever ask her what she needs them for? Does she want to drive or is she wanting to lock up the house? I would just want to watch to make sure she doesn't break them off in a lock. Be prepared however for her losing those fake keys and you spending the day looking for the fake ones. Maybe you could make up a couple sets like we use to do with pacifiers for our children.

My mother always wants her checkbook which I had to take away sometime back. I have her POA so I handle all finances but she wants that checkbook, so I made her a duplicate of the one I have, minus the checks, which still ticks her off. She was taking the checkbook and hiding it and then screaming at me wanting to know where it was. Finally I had enough and said, "NO MORE!" It is hard sticking to your guns when you have a dementia parent who seems to be rational at times and other times a raving angry maniac. A therapist told me to learn to deflect or focus her attention on something else, which does not always work but it is worth a try.
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Thanks, everyone!!... Chicago1954, great idea, thank you!! :)
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