Need ideas for my Dad's "busy hands" pulling at his trach.

https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.alzstore.com/fiddle-hand-muffs-alzheimers-p/0208.htm&sa=U&ved=2ahUKEwj37f-IpofpAhUUhXIEHesPB1QQFjADegQICRAB&usg=AOvVaw21njNWrcVL4bKqmMlxzRFY

if the link doesn't work,,look for twiddle muffs ... 🙏🙏🙏 stay safe hope this helps

My dad used to fidget with the knots in his sheet that was used to restrain him and keep him from falling out of bed.

IN case you didn't see this...... ask doctor..
Quality.. Not quantity of life.. COMFORT. Is he on Hospice? If not.. ask about it. Hospice is great.

Reassure him.. it is okay... play happy music.. fun talk, about memories, etc...

GEt him a big fluffy stuffed bear/animal thing that is squeezable... Maybe that will work... But I think he is feeling something.. like a healing scab.. and you JUST GOT TO/ WANT TO ITCH IT. OR SCRATCH IT... It is an irritating itch you cannot sooth...
If they can give him a benedryl or something to help ease this itch, it may help? I know you can't just get rid of it... but silence the irritation may be an answer...
Fussy fingers not knowing what or why they are doing what they are doing, may be the issue. Pulling on synthetics in the body.. they don't understand... Keep the hands away from the TRACH,, you may need to bind the hands a bit for the TRACH to FEEL LIKE IT IS SUPPOSED TO BE THERE.. WHEN IT BECOMES NATURAL TO HIS BODY.. THIS IS A SORE THAT IS HEALING, AND HE DOES NOT UNDERSTAND... Tie the hands to the bed for a few days, get a doctor's prescription for this. It will heal, and he may not be so irritated by it.. Give him medications to ease that issue.... Ativan? Benedryl? Google it, look it up, ask doctor.

anyway possible you can shorten his "arm stretch" so he cannot grab his trach?

My mom was released from hospital to hospice because she could not stop pulling out IV'S TUBES and catheters... It was more painful and irritating.. Not doing any good... I had no choice but to bring her home.. HER ARMS WERE BLACK AND BLUE... That's how many times they inserted IV'S and equal times she pulled them out... They could not really bind her arms to the bed legally, I suppose.. She did not know what was going on...
When my brother was in hospital, being released to Heaven... they did bind his arms to the bed so he could not pull on strange things attached to him.

Best to ask his physician.

There are things called Fidgit Spinners that are used by people who are hyperactive. They are fantastic for keeping busy hands, and someone's attention, busy. You can buy them on Amazon. In fact, look up various devices that have been developed for hyperactive people. You'll find a lot of them.

It's so hard when you can't be at the beside to reassure him, and hard to send anything into the facility. Try asking for extra trach tubing (not attached), that he could handle and fiddle with. Or a stack of washcloths that he could fold. And the activities department should have some activities such as the squishy balls or other activities that they can sanitize before letting him use.

I'm wondering what is his prognosis? Trachs are not comfortable; that's why sedation is often required. However skilled nursing facilities have to be careful of using sedation as it could be considered a chemical restraint. Is he alert? That needs to be considered too as busy blankets etc. may not be beneficial if he is not. Sounds like a stressful situation all around. Have you spoken with his doctor's? At risk of being the bad guy here, would your dad consider this a good quality of life? I'm so sorry but I feel that it is a question that warrants consideration.

Check out "Fidgets" on Amazon.
Wish I could add a photo.

To keep hands occupied you might try strip of cloth or soft rope with multiple knots tied in it. The larger the knots the better. Also dog toys that are rope with knots at both ends may work. The idea is for him to fidget with the knots. If they get untide, just retie and make more complicated. My dad used to fidget with the knots in his sheet that was used to restrain him and keep him from falling out of bed.

When my father was in that situation, he was on meds that affected his cognition.   I bought him some children's puzzles with large 2-3-4" sized pieces, and he could match some of them, but the meds prevented really clear thinking.

What did he do for a living?  Past time?   Anything that involved working with his hands?   Could he play dominos solely?   If he has something to occupy his hands, it might distract his discomfort, but I do understand that a trach can be uncomfortable.

Is there a speech pathologist, speech therapist, or PT help?   They might be in a good position to determine what he could or couldn't do to occupy his hands.

Also, what's his prognosis?   Is it anticipated that he'll be able to have the trach removed?    Or is this a long term prospect?

You do have my sympathy, and hope for a good resolution.  This was a very rough time for my father.  And it can't be easy for anyone.

Is he getting meds to help with this. And why are they calling you. Nothing u can do about it. This is the problem, he probably cannot understand not to touch it. There are LTCs that won't take trach patients because of the care involved.

My daughter crocheted twiddle muffs with things like zippers, bells, squiggles, ribbons. Buttons with button holes. A person puts in their lap and it gives their hands something to do. You can get blankets too. Search "Twiddle blankets for Dementia".

While restraints are not permitted maybe one of the "weighted blankets" might keep his hands confined to under the covers. I got one of the blankets for Christmas and returned it. I could hardly move with the blanket on me.
Sedation, mild, might help as well.
It is also possible that he will try pulling the trach and the peg in his sleep so no "busy ball, fidget blanket" or other item will prevent that.
Logic would say if you ordered an item from Amazon and had it delivered to the facility that would be in "original packaging" I doubt they would have a problem with that.

When my husband was on a ventilator earlier this year, he was kept sedated and his hands were restrained. The nurse explained to me that the tracheotomy was uncomfortable and that’s why he was trying to pull it out.

Ask the nurses if they can use silk tape or hypafix to secure the trach. Back in the day, we used to use restraints, but the Medical Community realized that they were more harmful than helpful overall. Over the long-term, this situation may not be sustainable.

I think they are called "busy blankets", look them up on Amazon. They work for some patients