My wife's dementia has her rummaging through the house. How do I cope?

Though this behaviour isn't uncommon, it can pose dangers to a lot of individuals living with dementia.

My wife has had Alzheimer’s for a few years and I have coped with many issues. Lately, she has taken to going through all the drawers in the house. This is making me very upset. 

This is not a unique behaviour your wife is exhibiting. A lot of individuals with dementia start looking through different places in search of items. I have witnessed this searching in the fridge, closets, cabinets and many other household locations.

It is critical to deal with the safety factor related to this behaviour. Rummaging, as it is often called, can end up with a person accessing things that are dangerous, such as: toxic products, household cleaning supplies or tools and equipment. Some people rummage and then taste the items that they open, so it is critical to look around and lock up areas that may pose a potential safety issue.

Some individuals take valuable or important items like chequebooks, jewelry, keys or important personal papers and place them in other locations. Ideally, you should ensure that these items couldn’t be found if a person is rummaging. Mail is also often a rummaging target that is easy to find.

If it were clear and evident why a person was rummaging it would be easier to contend with this behaviour. People with dementia may rummage for a variety of reasons. Some people may have a logical reason for this behaviour, as they may be thinking of something specific or are in search of something that has been recently triggered in their memory.

SOURCE: Nira Rittenberg, thestar.com