Dementia Behavior: Tips to Help Manage Rummaging

dementia behavior - in home care services hinsdale
A common dementia behavior is rummaging.

Digging through bins, cabinets, and closets, taking out odds and ends from drawers, and sorting repetitively through a variety of items can be frustrating for everyone providing care for a family member with Alzheimer’s, but in fact these actions are fulfilling a purpose. Rummaging can offer a measure of comfort for individuals with Alzheimer’s, offering recognition of familiar objects and a way to find purpose and meaning. 

One of the keys then is not to discourage rummaging, which could cause agitation, but to better manage this common dementia behavior before it becomes disruptive. These tips can help:  

  • Keep rummaging to a specific area. Put together containers of items your senior loved one seems especially interested in, for example, keys, paperwork, a billfold, tools, gardening equipment, sewing implements, sports memorabilia, etc. When a senior loved one starts to rummage in other areas, pull out one of the containers and guide his or her attention there. 
  • Establish an activity aimed at rummaging behaviors. Let the older adult know you could really use his or her assistance with a specific activity that makes use of these behaviors, for example, folding towels or socks, sorting nails/screws in a toolbox, or placing paperwork into folders. 
  • Find other stimulating activities to help remedy boredom. Rummaging could possibly be the consequence of feelings of restlessness, loneliness, or boredom. Try out a variety of activities you can encourage and do with the senior, such as arts and crafts, puzzles, going for a walk, listening to music, etc.  
  • Keep valuable items out of reach. Knowing that the senior has the tendency to rummage, see to it that any important documents, pieces of jewelry, keys, credit cards, etc. are all kept safely away. It is also a wise idea to put away the mail when it is delivered, to ensure that bills and other items are not getting tossed or misplaced. 
  • Step up security precautions. Now is the perfect time to gauge how hazardous items are stored in the home, for example, sharp knives, cleaning products, even certain types of foods such as raw meat that the individual may inadvertently mistake for another food product and ingest. Keep all items which may cause a senior loved one injury in secure places, ideally locked away. 

Independence-4-Seniors Home Care can help with professional in-home care services in Hinsdale and the surrounding areas that offer engagement and companionship in creative, enjoyable, and fulfilling activities for those with dementia that lead to fewer challenging behaviors. Email or give us a call at (630) 323-4665 for more dementia care resources or to schedule an in-home assessment to learn more about our services.