Hiding Things

 

I remember when Shelley hid objects. She especially liked shiny things. Here she is with a blanket she loves.

Shelley once took weights from our house back to her facility. She hid them in her luggage, and then at the facility, she hid them under the airconditioner. 

She also concealed her laptop. She couldn't use it, but she buried it under clothes in her closet.

She took shiny objects from the displays around the facilty. The director would say, "Shelley, I'm going into your room to get the painted rocks."  She'd respond, "Okay."  Then later, she'd take the rocks back to her place.

Many with Dementia seem to have this tendency.  It's unexplainable. Why blingy, bright things?  Shelley doesn't do this anymore. She's past this stage, however, others in her facility enjoy coming into her room to look for stuff.

We affectionately call these people shoppers. They don't intend to take other people's belongings. Their sense of logic isn't what it once was.

Yesterday, Shelley's pretty blanket was missing. The staff looked into each room and finally found it.

One item that goes missing is her hair brush. I buy a new one often. I think it's gross when I find someone's brush in her bathroom. I've write her name on her brush and hope it stays in its place. 

When I went into her room recently, a resident was looking through one of her drawers. He was shopping.  Most of the things in that drawer are unimportant--like nail polish, and I don't care if it goes missing. I have all her jewelry and important items here at my house.

This disease is weird with how it affects people. 

Some of the stories I hear are as funny as they are sad.

One lady I know said her mom was hiding things and unplugging electronics. We try to give each other advice.

The most important issue is to remember it's not them doing crazy things. It's the disease.