My Mum (56) suffers from dementia and hasn’t understood the restrictions regarding the lockdown. One of the symptoms of her dementia is extreme restlessness to the point where she would (under normal circumstances) want to go out to various locations (the supermarket, the high street, on the train to town etc) up to 5 times a day as she is obsessed with wandering around shops buying nick nacks. We have tried countless times to explain to her that we are in lockdown, the shops are shut etc, but it never registers. Now we are on lockdown number 3 and I really am getting to the end of my tether with it. I can only explain so many times a day before I lose my temper with her and her constant pestering wanting to go out. I make her watch the news hoping that will get the message through but I don’t think she really understands what is being said. I don’t know what else I can do to make her realise the severity of the situation and her individual vulnerability to the virus. I get angrier and angrier by the day and I know we are in for several more weeks of this and I know it’s not fair for me to lose my temper with her as she cannot help it but I don’t know how to relive the situation.
Hello Ellie
Am sorry to hear your mum has dementia, young too.
My lovely husband had vascular dementia, other health issues as well. On the days he was fidgety to go somewhere, I would try to distract. Let's have a cup of tea, and biscuits, watch TV for a bit, as the place isn't open yet, and so on. Have you tried distraction tactics? I understand how hard and frustrating it is for you. If you feel your anger rising, walk out of the room for a few minutes if you can. The couple of times I lost it with hubby, hurt me more than him, as it went out of his thoughts.