What Can You Do with a Loved One’s Wallet if She Has Dementia?
Elderly Care in Bay Shore NY
For some elderly loved ones with dementia, the big changes aren’t nearly as scary as the small ones are. One such seemingly small change can be what is in your loved one’s wallet now versus before her health declined.
Don’t Take it Away Completely
Taking your elderly loved one’s wallet completely away from her may not be a great idea. The problem is that even if she doesn’t remember why she has a wallet, she’s likely to remember that she does have one. The same goes for her purse or other items. What you want to do instead is to make sure that there’s nothing in her wallet that could turn into a bad situation for her, such as lots of credit cards or cash.
Make Sure Her ID Is Visible
One really important reason to make sure your loved one always has her wallet handy is that it’s a safe place to store her identification. As such, you want to make sure that her ID is always visible and easy for someone to get to if they should need to. If your elderly loved one has some other special needs, include those on a card near her identification so that those are easy to spot as well. Make sure that your loved one has ID that has an updated picture on it.
Include Other Cards, Too
There are a ton of other cards that you can include in your loved one’s wallet, too. Sometimes just having all these extra cards in the slots can help your loved one to feel calmer when she does look in her wallet. Some of the cards you might include could be her library card, store loyalty cards that are full-sized, or even expired credit or membership cards.
Put a Little Cash Inside
If your loved one has always been accustomed to carrying even a little bit of cash with her, it’s a good idea to put a few dollars in her wallet. Literally even one or two bills of small denomination can help your loved one feel that her wallet looks “normal” when she opens it. She can also make small purchases when you go out to run errands together, which can help her to feel empowered.
Talk with your loved one’s elderly care providers about other items you can put in your loved one’s wallet to help her feel more secure.
If you or an aging loved one are considering elderly care in Bay Shore, NY, please contact the caring staff at Family First Home Companions. Serving all of Long Island. Call today: (631) 319-3961
Jennifer has specialized training in Alzheimer’s disease through the Long Island Alzheimer’s Association and the Long Island Alzheimer’s Foundation.She also volunteered her time with the Alzheimer's Disease Assistance Center of Long Island for 3 years by providing cognitive stimulation to an Alzheimer’s patient group.
Jennifer educates the community about elder care and speaks to caregiver support groups, senior centers, and at professional organizations.Topics include home safety, effective strategies for family caregiving, elder care planning, and awareness about elder abuse.
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