My Mom lives alone, she is showing signs of dementia, she is allowing two mice to nest by the?

Question

water heater. She is not trying to remove the mice & has not told the apt. manager. There are other elderly living in the same building. She says it's a pet. Is this more of the dementia symptoms. Your thoughts please.

Answer 1

Set some traps or there will be a lot more than two. It amazing how much p**p a single mouse can leave around the house.  

Answer 2

Get her a cat. Most landlords don't mind cats, & you can get one cheap from a shelter.

Answer 3

The mice can do a lot of damage. Perhaps you could take her out to lunch and have the mice removed while away from the apartment.

Answer 4

I suspect she is lonely. This in itself is not a sign of dementia. I take it you have seen other things that gave you this impression, such as leaving the stove on or acting as if it was a different period in her life.

Mice or not good to have around - obviously - so would she miss them if you trapped them? Can she handle having a pet such as a cat?

Are you able to arrange a home health nurse to pay a visit? Sorry but I have more questions than answers; her plight concerns me.

Answer 5

buy her a cat. she's lonesome. the cat will solve the mouse problem.

Answer 6

Your mother could simply be LONELY and the mice simply do not bother her. If you are concerned, take her to doctor for check up and talk to him abnout concerns. Older people who live ALONE can often become strange and do things we think strange. This one thing does signify demetia

Answer 7

To want a pet or something to love is human, not dementia. Sounds like she needs her son to show more love and affection. She is probably far more lonely than you ever imagined. When she is unable to care for her own basic needs such as food, clothing and shelter then have her evaluated for dementia.  

Answer 8

This alone is not a sign of dementia.  Do they allow pets in her building?  If not, maybe this is her way of having one.

Answer 9

Don't trap the mice in front of her for her to see.  Go to the store and get some of those "sticky traps".  The mice get stuck on them and you chose how to get rid of them.  I would put them in a sack and tell her your going to turn them loose.  This sounds disgusting but you don't want to traumatize her!!  Then get her a lap dog!!!!

Answer 10

It's not dementia at all. Maybe she's lonely and she likes the idea of having her little 'pets', or she's worried someone will kill them if they find out about them. Let her have her mice, there's no harm in it.

Answer 11

Get her a nice cage to put them in, you can even buy bedding for them with food  and water dishes, tell her its not sanitary to let them run free of her home, My sister had a squirrel and my brother had a king snake in his basement  

Answer 12

just let the apt. manager know.  it could be the dementia, but you are the one who knows her.  if this is not normal behavior for her, then

watch more closely if you're able.  try not to move her until she has lost the ability to care for herself, as this is generally very upsetting.

God bless.

Answer 13

If she likes the mice, then it is going to be difficult to trap them, although they do have live traps that won't hurt them.  If they are making a nest, then real quick there is going to be a family. Mice can bring disease.  Maybe get her a bird or a couple of domestic mice of her own, so she has something to keep her busy.  I love animals and even mice I would not want to  have them killed, so do your best to remove them alive and take them to a field.