My mom has dementia and I'm her caregiver. She doesn't even know what feces are. She will pick them out of her diaper and leave them on the nightstand, or take the diaper off and what's in it drops on the floor and she will walk through it. I've finally gotten used to cleaning her up, but now the house? I really appreciate any help or suggestions. I'm going to Home Depot to buy masks, foot coverings, more gloves and bleach cleaner, but how do I clean the floor?
Set aside the brush and bucket for the next time, keeping it separate for that use.
Use the bucket to also clean the bottom of shoes.
Just make sure you clearly mark the bottle that it contains bleach, to avoid any mixing of dangerous chemicals!
There's no reason why any young person should grasp what it's like for someone in their 80's or 90's because they aren't there yet.
All old people don't end up in diapers. My father at the age of 90 was still golfing a full course once a week and bowling twice a week. He also still drove, lived on his own, and didn't have a moment of dementia. Then he had a stroke. He was in the NH for less than a year then he died. He had 90 very good years. So you never know.
I've had many dementia clients who did the same thing. Here is the cheap solution that I've used every time and it is tried and true. You will need three things.
1) A pair of round-nosed bandage cutting scissors (the kind nurses use to cut away a wound dressing)
2) A roll of duct tape.
3) A couple of pairs of shortlette-style non-compression underwear (not a girdle) that come to just above the knee. The don't have to be tight-fitting, but they should fit snuggly.
After her diaper is put on cut a long piece of duct tape and loop it around the diaper like a belt. Do it tight enough that she can't get her hand into the diaper. Then put the pair of shortlette underwear over it. When she has to be changed, the tape and diaper can be cut right through it with the bandage scissors.
You won't be risking an injury because the scissors are round-nosed and slanted. They are made for cutting off wound dressings that are taped in place.
This has worked for me for more people than I can remember.
PS. Clean the floor with bleach and water. You won't need to go to Home Depot for all the other stuff because there will be no need. If she can't get into the diaper she can't get to what's in it either. Please try this. You will see it works.
When I got home I used old towels to get what I could - I then just poured bleach onto the floor and let it sit. Sopped it up with more towels then scrubbed down the floor. Luckily the bathrooms in our house are miniscule as far a floor space.
I'm so sorry for what you are going through.
Best wishes
It would help if you put protective mitts on your wife's hands at night so she can't pull her diaper apart or mess with her catheter.
You can order them online. They're sort of like boxing gloves, but not as big. The person wearing them isn't able to get them off on their own. Look into getting some for your wife so she doesn't injure herself.