Is this common with elderly?

Oh my this sounds like my aunt ,94, senile dementia. She has a fetish about napkins and toilet paper. She uses napkins to wipe her constantly running nose( she takes Allegra everyday). We started restricting the amounts of each that are put out. Our stockpile is in her garage, out of access.

To keep the toilet from being plugged the caregiver has to supervise her.

I would dilute the hand soap.
Also she was pumping the toilet flush handle disconnecting it and causing the toilet to run constantly. Now her caregiver does the flush.

Often elderly with or without dementia, dab their runny noses, My ENT prescribed Azelastine nose spray which pretty much controlled the runny nose. I believe it is now otc as Astepro. I don’t have suggestions about limiting toilet paper use but I do suggest you buy it at Costco or similar big box store.

Have you applied for Medicaid for her?

When I visit my mother at her MC, she is constantly using tissues to dab her nose.

Her purse, which is contains her wallet (same $20 bill for the last two years), and a picture of her brother, is always stuffed with tissues.

She has a trash can, but doesn’t remember what it’s for.

I take her a new box of tissues once a week, if she’s not ill (which she hardly ever is. She will outlive me.) That’s it. If she runs out before that, she has to use toil tissue. I reimburse myself from her funds, so she pays for those.

She uses tons of toilet tissue, but that’s included with her MC bill.

It’s a dementia thing.

First, if Mom has the money, she should be paying for her stuff not u. I so hope you have POA. I would be taking over her checking acct. Any out of pocket I incurred, I would be writing a check at least once a month for (actually this is what I did) my Out of Pocket and keeping receipts in an envelope with the month and check number on it. I would put the paper products under lock and key. Go with her to the bathroom. I did leave to give Mom privacy but went back in to clean her up and help her get her pants pulled up. When she was still with it, she counted the squares till 8. She did go thru tissues. Her nose ran constantly and the Dr put her on an alkergy med. It helped a lot.

You need to get Mom evaluated and find out what type of Dementia she has. This is important because some Dementia's can only take certain meds. From what you have said, ur Mom is pretty much into Dementia and should not be alone. She either has an aide or she is placed with her paying. Assisted living is usually private pay. Medicaid rarely pays for AL or Memory care. Check with them. Most States they only cover Long-term care.

You are listing this under dementia behaviors. So I am assuming that is a problem with your Mom. And if so, the answer is "yes, this is very common". Somehow the activity of cleansing becomes somewhat compulsive for many, and plumbing can be an issue for certain. I wish I had an answer that actually could help you and I hope others do.

OMG...yes...it's the never-ending wipe and tissues are everywhere, despite having a bag tied on to her walker for tissue disposal. We have city sewer so that's a plus, but I still worry about my the pipes in my 87-year old house.

My step-mother who has Front Temporal Dementia, is a paper hoarder, especially used napkins, her purse is always loaded with them, as is her room in MC, we have to dump regularly.

She used to hoard butters, cream cheese and any small leftovers she could when in AL, plus rocks, shells and sticks. She had around 200 shells & rocks alone in her room.

We had to move her to MC because of these issues. She no longer has a refrigerator and when she goes on walks there is an aid with her.

I thought you were going to move her to MC, that would resolve some of these issues.

From a previous post: "The tension in my home is here and I hate coming home. I had no clue that she was this bad. I work full-time and have to bathe her, feed her, etc. She cannot be trusted to be alone long and none of my siblings help or even care how this is effecting me and my husband. They tell me there is no other choice!!! I'm currently looking to find her assisted living because i will not be able to do this much longer. Had I known what I do now I would never have moved her in. Sometimes I sit outside and cry. "

Your mother has lived with you for 9 months now. If you work full time, then who is with her during the day? Why do your sibs tell you there is no other choice? Why were you the one who had to take her in? What is your mother's financial situation? Are you her POA/HCPOA?

“She goes through at LEAST 5 rolls of toilet paper a week. One full bottle of hand soap”

My friend’s mom did the same. It was because of dementia. His mom couldn’t remember how to use the right amounts. My friend hired a caregiver, who helps in the bathroom. The problem was completely solved.

Friend, clearly this arrangement isn't working for you.

Have you given thought to how you might change it?

Thank you for these ideas. I do keep the toilet paper in a pantry and she has free range. She does dab her nose constantly and has many signs of dementia. She remembers what she did in 1950 but not yesterday. Her mother had Alzheimer's and I do not think this is the case with her. She does not pay for anything. She gives me a little money each month that does not even cover the costs of her landline, boost drinks by the case, soaps, and everything. I have to bathe her and set her hair in rollers. Cook for her. She has her own bathroom and I clean it daily. My siblings don't help and told me that they can't take her so there is no choice. I work full time and am burning out quickly.

Do you supervise her toileting?

Wow. That is a LOT of paper! I hope that your mom is actually paying for her paper goods. You'll be bankrupt soon at this rate. LOL.

Does she have dementia? If so, she probably does not recognize that she is waaay overdoing it. There are probably ways to curtail this, at least a little. Don't leave extra TP in the bathroom. If you have another bathroom, when that roll gets low, put it in mom's bathroom.
Handsoap - switch out for a bar of soap? Switch to foaming hand soap?
Tissues - give her a hanky? My 97 MIL goes through tons cuz she is constantly dabbing at her nose.
Napkins - switch to cloth? Get smaller ones?

Good luck