Obsessed with his cup

[Khartt]

Steve has to have his cup of water completely full and with him at all times. We have been through several different kinds of cups, and now use one with a screw on lid and handle. He drops the cups, and besides breaking a few, i have to clean up spills fairly often. The problem is his obsession with it! Is this normal? He cannot go anywhere without his cup. Lately he has started choking some on the water and I try to take it away and he will have nothing of it. He drinks other things like smoothies but still has his water cup close by. I mounted a cup holder on his walker so he would put it down while trying to walk but I still catch him holding on to it while trying to push the walker with one hand! Any tips appreciated!

[Katiebow]

Not had the cup problem but Ben likes to have the chair controller in his hand during the day and a tissue at night, not sure why but the carers obviously think it's quite normal. I have to remove the controller when I leave the room in case he catapults himself out of the chair. Talk about being on red alert!

Much love

Kate xxx

[Yvonneandgeorge in reply to Katiebow]

Kate George is exactly the same with the chair remote, he nearly ping himself out of it the other day, he likes tissues as well xxxx big hug Katie xxxxxx

[Katiebow in reply to Yvonneandgeorge]

And back to you lovely lady Xxx

[Heady in reply to Katiebow]

At least in not in the hands of grandchildren! I remember NannaB telling a very funny story about Colin and his grandchildren, taking him for a ride.

Lots of love

Anne

[Katiebow in reply to Heady]

Hi Anne I've had that with the two grandchildren too, both Ben's chair and bed, up and down like a yoyo and them laying on the floor trying to fatham the mechanics of them. Very funny but a bit scary too, can't turn your back when they are around. xxx

[Heady in reply to Katiebow]

Who wants to Kate? Looking forward to my second being born soon, just after my first celebrates her 18th birthday.

Lots of love

Anne

[Katiebow in reply to Heady]

Quite an age difference Anne, love my grandchildren. By the way have a great trip. xxxxx

[Heady in reply to Katiebow]

Thanks Kate

[Marie_14 in reply to Katiebow]

Kate I had that problem with G! When he was in the Hospice for a week's respite they took the control away from him. He was really upset but it was for his safety.

Marie x

[NannaB]

Obsessions appear to be normal but not the same one for everybody. My husband’s was the water pressure on the boiler and water tank. The tank is upstairs though so for a few months, many times an hour I had to follow him upstairs to the airing cupboard then downstairs to the boiler cupboard. He wouldn’t let me check them ( not that they needed it so many times) . Just before I was driven totally mad, he stopped. Perhaps Steve will stop as well. I hope so for your sake.

I tried many different cups and beakers. The best one for him was a beaker with a lid and a straw. The straw had a one way valve so when he sucked, the fluid didn’t go back down the straw. He also couldn’t draw too much into his mouth either. I can’t remember where I got it though. Sorry.

XxxX

[Tippyleaf]

Hi Khartt

Obsessions seem Part of the PSP journey in my experience each one has been a phase before moving onto the next. My hubby has been fixated on his shaver since Christmas time. He ‘neefs’ to shave between 3-5am. And the shaver must be charged every morning and left by his bed at night. He becomes very agitated if this ritual/process is not carried out.

He has had food obsessions where every food had to have lashings of salt , or wearing exactly the same clothes,

I do hope Steve’ s obsessions will also move on- though what will be the next one!! I do understand how incredibly frustrating these rituals are though - sorry I have yet to find a solution but just hold onto the thought it will hopefully pass.

Take care

Love Tippy xxx

[formercarer]

I recommend that you get him one of these. Mum found it really great. You can thicken the water in it too. We had it attached to the bed so that she could sip at will. No more spills or breakages! hydrateforhealth.co.uk/purc...

[Tttp]

Good morning, yes think it goes hand and hand with psp, my brother will grab on to something and will not let go of it, as far as choking on weather that is the worse as far as liquids, he needs to drink more water but does not want to because of choking, had to start using thicker. Yuk

[17052011]

Hi my Mum is obsessed with holding her handbag ALL the time. She doesn’t have anything in it but a packet of tissues! We have to peel it away from her. She even sleeps with it. She used to be obsessed with her water bottle. I have purchased about 10 plus since she’s been in the nursing home. But she has have thickener in all liquids so doesn’t use a bottle anymore xx

[AnaBri]

They seem to need to hold onto some things so their hands are not empty I guess, and probably makes them feel safe. My mom clings to paper towels in both hands the whole day, if she uses one you need to replace it immediately otherwise there comes the screaming... used to be obsessed with a water cup also, I bought her one with a straw that closes completely and she would carry it with her everywhere, when water began to make her shoke too much we took it away and was screams and crying... I didn't know about Nestlé Resources back then, so I just took water away and started giving her only smoothies and things like that. She was not happy at all.

You could try thickening the water before it goes into the cup, it doesn't add up too much of a flavor to it, but it'll be easy for him to drink it, and depending on the consistency you make it, it won't spill that much.

They need their little obsessions and their routine, it's important to them keeps them more relaxed. Her doctor used to tell us, do whatever she wants to be happy, no need to stress her out just because you don't get it, it's her thing, let her have it. So I stopped worrying about the furniture spilled and the little bits of paper she leaves everywhere, her obsession to have everything done three times, I just let her have them her way.

Now I bought my mom a baby bottle and she is in love with it, she wants everything to come out of "Pepón" (would translate something like big baby bottle), the way she calls it