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How about getting her one of those little grocery carts, like you would use to bring in the groceries from your car. They only cost about 40 dollars and they hold a lot of stuff.

Her pushing one, especially if it is loaded, might help her with her walking as it would give her something to hold onto. This might be useful, especially if she will not use her rollator.

Other than that, I'm all out of ideas.
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Mom is in Assisted Living. She does have a roller chair with a basket but won’t use it. Her bags are extremely heavy and she does sometimes lose her balance getting them on her shoulder. Things continually go missing because my mom cant remember where she put things and things from the bags fall out without her knowing because they are overflowing. She carries things like favorite stuffed animals, address books, TV remotes, hand lotion, bags of pens, and many things that might be in a junk drawer or desk. We have made offers to help but Mom gets irritable and angry whenever we suggest other ways of keeping things safe or suggest that maybe her stuff is just getting misplaced or lost. We would be fine with letting her just carry what she wants but her elder care lawyer advised us that this was a big red flag for those assessing mom at the AL facility and we should try to get her to stop. Thought this group might have some good ideas. Thanks.
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gladimhere Apr 2019
Red flag? Why? Maybe a move to memory care instead of assisted living?
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Oh *dear*. I do feel for both of you.

There not being any reality-based logic to your mother's anxiety - is there? Has anything gone missing, before I make assumptions? - you cannot reason her out of it or even provide a practical alternative, such as a little lockable cabinet for her room. It won't work, she'll still worry about her belongings all day long unless they're under her nose.

The rollator with a basket would be best, if her things will fit in it without making it unstable.

Is she a falls risk? - Has this been assessed? It's not that I want to be cruel, but if she is steady on her feet and not hurting her hands or putting her back out, it might be best after all to wait this phase out. Weight bearing exercise is a good thing, if there's nothing for it but to look on the bright side.

And, mentioning this because every purse/handbag question makes my blood run cold again - never get rid of them without checking that there isn't a diamond brooch wrapped in a tissue wrapped in plastic folded in an envelope tucked down in the inside zipped pocket.
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You say Mom is in assisted living. There is a good possibility that things "travel" from one room, one person to another so some of her fears may be justified.
Can you get a nice basket for a walker if she uses one. And if she does not use a walker now might be the time and a reason to use one.
Is she in a room by herself? If so is it possible to get a locking cabinet that she can keep "valuables" in for safekeeping? One with a simple latch, not a key just in case it gets lost. This also might help.
And do you know what she keeps in the bags? If these things are not necessary could you convince her to let you take them home for safe keeping?
And another question..is Mom in Assisted Living or Memory Care? if she is in AL would she be safer in Memory Care where the staff has a smaller group of people and most of the staff have special ways to deal with the "quirks" of dementia.
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Is she using a Rolator Wheelchair? That might help her some, a place to stack her precious bags, as I doubt you can get her to change now, help her to rig something up. God Love Her!
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Where does your mom live? Who supervises her comings and goings?

Beyond the early stages, a dementia person should not be left on their own.

Tell us a bit more about your mom's situation so we can offer suggestions.
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