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My mom just moved into the Memory Care wing, and now all her lotions / personal items are locked up. She has very dry lips and skin, so I am looking for an Aquaphor type cream that would be allowed to be kept in her room. Can anyone suggest something?

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VURunner: Speak to the staff regarding this issue as it should be part of her care plan. The products are locked up to prevent ingestion.
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Reply to Llamalover47
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Ask her doctor to put it on her file that lotion is to be applied and water given/monitored. You must bring it up in order to get it taken care of. Sometimes a new aide comes in and they skip that step~ unless someone insists it be done.
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Reply to 97yroldmom
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Anything that can be accidentally placed into the eyes or eaten is usually locked up. Ask the staff to moisturize her skin daily. Dry lips are usually an indication of dehydration. She needs to drink more water.
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Reply to Taarna
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Mom's "girls" put lotion all over her body after a shower and anytime she asked them to while in Memory Care Assisted Living. Same with face creams and other lotions and potions. Nobody ever "shopped" in her suite, either, because each one had a lock on it so it was kept private, as it should be.

If your mom's supplies are kept locked up, there won't be a product that will be available for her to use w/o help.
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Reply to lealonnie1
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Speak with the staff in her facility (is there a nurse on staff, or does she have a case manager). They may lock things up because dementia patients can do strange and inappropriate things.
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Reply to NancyIS
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If her personal items have to be locked up it's because she cannot safely use them on her own anymore. That being said, no matter what you get her she will not be able to use a product correctly.

If she has dry skin and lips someone will have to assist her in using lotion for her dy skin and apply lip balm to her a couple times a day.
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Reply to BurntCaregiver
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SC MC facilities do not allow any lotions other than soaps in wall dispensers. The issues that I heard has to do with ingestion.
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Reply to MACinCT
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BurntCaregiver Jan 19, 2024
@MAC

That's true. Anothe reason is because the person cannot use these products safely on their own anymore. Lotions and hand soaps end up all over the floor. Then on the soles of shoes and slippers. Then there are falls and injuries.
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Why is her stuff locked up? If they have locked her stuff up, what makes you think they will allow the creme. And who is going to put it on her? I doubt Mom would do a good job of it. You may just have to carry a little bottle in your pocket book and out it on ur self.
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Reply to JoAnn29
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Chances are they will allow nothing to be kept in her room. It is common for other residents to "shop" in other rooms.
Humidifier might help.
Trying to keep her hydrated
And when she is showered a long lasting body cream or ointment should be applied. Ask her doctor to write an order. It is more apt to happen if it is an "order" from the doctor.
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Reply to Grandma1954
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BurntCaregiver Jan 19, 2024
@Grandma

This is sad but true. Other residents will "shop" in people's rooms.

At the AL we had a strict policy on residents being in another residents rooms. Everyone had a sign on their door. If they were out of their room, close the door and turn the sign over to 'Not Home'. If a resident got caught in someone's room shopping around, it wasn't just dismissed as that happens in facilities.

When a resident reported something, the aides knew to keep an eye out for it because they had access to everyone's rooms. Many times items like jewelry and knick-knacks were found in another resident's room under a bed, or in a drawer. They got called out on it too. This place was not a MC. Thieving was not going to be tolerated.
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