My husband has been in the very nice, small nursing home since the first week of Nov. and really likes it there which I am happy. The staff is very nice and takes good care of him. He is the only HD patient that they have cared for and now if he doesn't change his ways he will be the last. All of a sudden he has decided he doesn't want to wear his clothes. He takes them off and doesn't want the door to his room closed either. Has anyone had this happen to their family member? Also it seems he has been masturbating too. The home doesn't know for sure what to do with him. Yesterday I took him to a therapist and she changed his citalopram to paxil. He also takes clonazepam twice daily. Nothing else for HD. I am really beside myself and don't know what to tell the home or what to do with him. The therapist that he saw yesterday will go to the home and see him once a month as she does the other residents. This is the first time seeing this therapist. The home is 40 miles from where I live so I can't just go every day and they tell me it's ok if I don't go every day either. I go weekly and they call me if they need me and I call them.

I have cared for him at home for the past 14 years but since he fell down our basement stairs the last of May fracturing his neck and back and then in Sept. he fell and broke his hip and had to have hip replacement surgery the dr. said he needed more eyes and ears than what I had so it was time for the home. He will be 65 in March.

Any suggestions? Thank you,

Wanting to go nude is not that uncommon. Although it can be sexual, more usually it is related either to a sensitivity of the skin or a perception of being overheated. Something that might help is if the light source is changed from an overhead light to a tableside light. If it's a sensitivity of the skin, you can work with him to find clothing that feels more comfortable.

As for the masturbating, the nursing home should not be all that appalled; this is not uncommon in nursing homes. We are all sexual beings, we have sexual feelings, the only difference is that your husband is acting on them in an inappropriate time and place because he lacks impulse control. Remind him that this is private behavior and he cannot engage in this with the door open or with people present. That may not help, but if it repeated over and over, he might get the message. If the new antidepressant works, that could help as well.

Thank you Marsha for answering. Terry's room is awful warm and this may be part of the problem too. I have been searching on the internet for fire resistant drapes as he just has mini blinds now. I had asked if they couldn't make his room really cool and the DON was going to ask the maintance man. Thinking if he got cold his clothes would stay on his body. He does have a private room.

The NH is kind to work with me with this problem and hope the new med. helps. It is just a bunch of women and in the evening and weekend a lot of young employees that don't seem to know how to handle his behavior. I say he is like a toddler and just tell him to "get dressed" even if it is over and over and keep the door closed which he hollers loudly if they close it.

Terry also has become OCD. Wanting 5 paper towels when he eats, glasses of milk and water lined up in a row etc. All the food is cooked homemade and he has been caught taking the other residents cake and pie if they haven't eaten them or any other sweet food. Gained 25 pounds the first month. For awhile he wouldn' t eat anything just drink fluids. This was happening at home too before he went into the home.

Terry has Cll cancer which at the present time is in remission for the second time and a diabetic, high blood pressure but has a strong heart that I know of.

Hi Millie, sorry for the problems you are going through. Just a suggestion here. What about cold towels or some of the ice things you see sometime that can be draped around his neck or wherever he needs it.

Mike