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Cdante Asked March 2021

Person with dementia takes off their post-surgical bandage against orders every night before bed. No easy answers. Got any?

BurntCaregiver Mar 2021
Put mitts on the person. They sell special ones that can be purchased online that are specifically for people with dementia. They look almost like boxing gloves.
I had a homecare client with LBD who used to pick at her nails until they bled. We used oven mitts secured with duct tape. It was easy to cut the duct tape off with a regular pair of rounded-point bandage scissors. This works, and you can do it until you order the special ones.

Beatty Mar 2021
My finger hurts. What's this thing on it? Must get that off.

Either a dressing covered by a glove taped or creped on making it hard to remove. Or just kept clean. I'd call the surgeon's rooms for advice as CM suggested.

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Cdante Mar 2021
Nothing untoward yet, but it was a left index finger amputation from the main knuckle up. Has to be constantly monitored because of the renegade behavior as opposed to simply leaving it covered to heal.
disgustedtoo Mar 2021
That's a tough one, hard without some kind of mitt that can be secured. My mother injured her shin and developed cellulitis. Just before the move to MC, of course. OB came up to be part of the move, so he changed the bandage, cleaned it and reapplied the bandage. As soon as he was done, she ripped it off and declared she needed a new one!

If you can find a mitt or large glove, perhaps you could secure it at the wrist using "vet wrap" - there are various names for this stuff. It isn't an adhesive, but rather sticks to itself. If done right, perhaps she won't be able to find the end to peel it off. Might have to make sure it goes around the thumb too, when wrapping it, so the glove can't just be slipped off.

Set search for Vet Wrap - multiple hits, sold in many places (and yes, even though it's often called vet wrap, it was originally designed for use with horses, but is commonly used both for pets AND humans!)
Geaton777 Mar 2021
Depending on what guidance you get from the medical team, and depending on where the wound it, you can look into "adaptive clothing" specifically "anti-strip" clothing for people with cognitive issues.

Countrymouse Mar 2021
"Every night" implies that this person has been ignoring those orders for at least two nights. And has anything untoward happened as a result?

Obviously it depends on what the wound is and where it is and what the bandage is for, but unless there is a demonstrably good reason to worry about this, I wouldn't. And if there IS such a reason, call the surgical team and ask them what to do.
BurntCaregiver Mar 2021
Oven mitts taped on or the special ones for people with dementia. It doesn't matter what the wound is or where it is.
If the dressing is supposed to be on there then it has to be.
No one can get the mitts off on their own, so they can't pick at a wound or a dressing.

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