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Last night mom asked for another nightlight. I put one in the outlet and this morning it was out. She removed it at some point even though she asked for it. I don't want her messing with the outlets. I'll try again but I'm thinking I need to remove it from her room if she starts up with it. Did your loved one with dementia have any issues with nightlights? I do have one in the hall and one in the bathroom. She leaves those alone.

I went through a similar situation with my dad, who was convinced that the nightlights had cameras and microphones and the AL was spying on him, as a result he kept removing them. To address his concerns, I coordinated with the assisted living facility and replaced the outlets in his apartment with electric outlets that have built-in night lights. problem solved. You can purchase these outlets in any hardware store.

Best wishes
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Reply to SusanHeart
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Maybe get a motion-detection one? One that shuts itself off when she's in bed? If she has dementia you won't get a logical answer out of her. If she has memory impairment she won't remember she asked for it or why it's there.
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Reply to Geaton777
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RetiredBrain Aug 2, 2024
Exactly...she does not understand why there is a light or remember when you tell her. We have an alarm set so when our mother moves in bed it goes off in our room but the light blinks on the alarm when it is set off. When she asks about it, I just say it will go off in a minute- it does- and all is well - same with night light that comes on when you walk in the room. She will ask again and again but that answer "it will go out in a minute". Seems to satisfy the moment
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Yes, I have had those problems. The motion-activated lights are good. You may have to resort to something she can’t reach, such as installed high on a wall. I believe it is important to have nightlights in their room so that if they wake up, they can see where they are. When there wasn’t adequate lighting in the bedroom, LO apparently thought it was the bathroom. The wastebasket and the corner were mistaken for the toilet. After enough light was in the room, that mistake didn’t happen again.
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Reply to Fawnby
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You are so right and I am so new to this I keep making the same mistakes and asking her why she did something. I wish I could break myself of the habit of expecting normal when there is no more normal. I could try the motion one and see if she likes it. She won't know it's there until she sets it off. I don't know if she wants more light while in bed or just when moving and she can't tell me.
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Reply to Silverspring
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Geaton777 Jul 27, 2024
I can attest to how hard a habit it is to break, to keep reacting to my Mom as if she is her prior self. She lives next door to me, 95, and every day I forget. Don't be so hard on yourself. Caregiving for a LO with dementia is like nothing anyone can ever imagine or have figured out beforehand.
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Childproof the room.
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Reply to Dawn88
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When you spoke with your mother about the nightlight being removed what did she tell you? Is this one of the motion sensor nightlights?
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Reply to AlvaDeer
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Yes. My mom fussed with nightlights. Once she had them in just the right place, she left them alone. She would try a new one from time to time. I got her a small flashlight to keep by the bed and she likes that. 🙂
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Reply to PJx621
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Prayers sent.
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Reply to Llamalover47
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The LED nightlights shine in your eyes.
Get one that does not do that, or get a non-flammable shade to block it from
shining in her eyes.
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Reply to Sendhelp
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Silverspring, try different locations in the room where there is a outlet within easy reach. For myself I use the incandescent night light plug-ins that have the plastic cover (pulls off so one can replace the 4 watt bulb). I don't like the LED ones.


There are also "night light lamps" that one can sit on a dresser, the on/off is on the cord. I can't deal with a totally dark room, my mind gets lost, and if I stand up I feel like I will fall.
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Reply to freqflyer
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