What Causes Bathroom Problems In Dementia

About this episode

This episode discusses the common bathroom challenges faced by dementia caregivers and explores the cognitive reasons behind these difficulties.

Bathroom challenges are one of the most common, and least talked about, parts of dementia caregiving. You've tried asking. You've tried reminding. You've tried everything. And it still isn't working. This isn't defiance. It isn't stubbornness. What's happening in the brain is making the bathroom one of the hardest spaces for someone with dementia to navigate. The bathroom requires more brain systems working together than almost any other room in the home. In this episode I walk through the most common reasons people with dementia struggle with the bathroom — and what you can do about it. If you'd like to see this episode on video, you can hop on over to my YouTube channel here . → Join the Care Collective: https://tinyurl.com/re-sales-podcast Get free weekly tools and tips in my newsletter, The Dementia Dose: https://tinyurl.com/dementiadose-podcast ⏱️ CHAPTERS 0:00 - Introduction 0:24 - Common bathroom behaviors caregivers are dealing with 1:00 - Why the bathroom is cognitively demanding 2:00 - Interoception: why they don't know they have to go 3:15 - Apraxia and difficulty sequencing bathroom steps 4:15 - Aphasia and not understanding instructions 4:45 - Why the bathroom…

People in this episode

Host: Dr. Natali Edmonds

Topics covered

• dementia caregiving
• bathroom challenges
• cognitive demands
• interoception
• apraxia
• aphasia
• practical strategies

Keywords

• dementia
• bathroom problems
• caregiving
• cognitive demands
• interoception
• apraxia
• aphasia
• strategies

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