My husband and I went to see Dad. He had been on the antibiotics for several days now, but Dad was still disoriented. I was so sad to see that, because usually when he's had a Urinary Tract Infection, his thinking clears right up once he's on the antibiotics, but this wasn't the case.
Dad was in his bed, holding his lower set of dentures in his hand, while eating a handful of whole almonds with his top dentures in. I kept asking Dad to put his bottom dentures in, so he could chew up the almonds, but he didn't really understand what I was telling him, although I repeated it several times.
Then, I suggested that I take his lower dentures and wash them off, so they were clean when he put them in. I brought the clean dentures back, but Dad just held them. I said that I would help him put them in, so I gently took them from Dad's hand and tried to insert them into his mouth, but it wasn't working, even after several tries. He usually kind of sucks them in place, but wasn't doing that this time. I tried to put his hands up to his mouth, so he could help put them in, put just held his hands there.
Then, God gave me the idea to suggest I take out Dad's upper dentures and wash them off. I was so relieved, because I was starting to get frustrated, because I didn't know what to do. Knowing Christ was there with me during this, I suddenly felt relieved and just felt so appreciative of my dad and wanted him to feel supported. I stopped for a few minutes and just let him sit there before proceeding.
While the dentures were out, I had sanitary gloves on and swept Dad's mouth and found five or six whole almonds on the side of his mouth and threw them away. First of all, they are a choking hazard, but regardless, Dad was not being able to manage them. Once Dad's mouth clear, I was able to get get his bottom teeth partially in and put his hands to his mouth and he eventually got them in. Then, I tried the upper dentures. After a couple of tries these went in. The whole process took 20-40 minutes, but it felt like hours. Once Dad's dentures were in, Christ had me realize that it no longer mattered. They were in-that's all that counts.
Caregiver Tips Video: Caregiver Training: Repetitive Behaviors
By: UCLA Alzheimer's and Dementia Care Program, by Michelle Panlilio N.P. via You Tube
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