How do I handle mom's constant bathroom issues? She thinks she must poop everyday & all day. It's all she dwells on. Should I give laxatives?

First I don't think anyone should change Dr prescribed medication. A lot of people become physically dependant on laxatives so she very well may be constipated more than normal.

I don't believe in laxatives. The body comes to depend on them, then doesn't do the job its suppose to. Everytime Mom was in the hospital they started her on stool softens and laxatives. I asked why. because she didn't go every day I was told. She never went every day. Her dr. said if she goes 2 days without going, then give her Phillips. And it now comes in pill form. Really, that was the only thing that worked on her. Miralax was too harsh for her.

I prayed that she didn't go everyday. I hated the clean up.

Your profile says that your mother has dementia. That causes the brain to not work properly. The patient may get fixated on various things, have delusions, misreport things, etc. Is she still in the AL? I'd think that they monitor her BMs and are able to determine if she needs a laxative. I'd honor the doctor's recommendation, but, I can't imagine he would advise giving laxatives to a person who is not in need of them. If she is worried and anxious, I'd discuss this with the doctor to see if she could benefit from medication to help with that.

Polyethylene glycol 350 is the prescription form of miralax.
Taken Daily took care of the problem for my aunt. Prescribed by a gastroenterologist.
She also takes probiotics with her breakfast. She had a lifelong habit of abusing laxatives. It is no longer an issue. This for at least two years.

There may not be much you can do about your mother's focus on bowel movements. My father with vascular dementia often complained about constipation and then diarrhea in the same day. A little additional questioning revealed Dad thought more than 2 BMs was diarrhea. Dad was taking pain medication that could cause constipation and he would refuse to eat or drink anything that could offset the problem (more fiber, prune juice, etc). After Dad went into MC with medication management that included fiber pills and stool softeners this problem diminished a lot, but he would continue to be concerned over his poop. I viewed this as a "feature" of his dementia.