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Warning triggering: He is 78 used to to be a supervisor. He has dementia. He says I am dumb and can't do anything alone. I must be supervised . He needs to make sure I am bathing correctly. The whole neighborhood heard him yelling about it and looks at me sideways. He literally stands on top of me and won't move. He refuses to move. He almost runs me down when he is walking. He runs into people at the store and has even banned banned. I lock the bathroom door he breaks in because I need supervised. It makes me feel violated. He literally would not leave. He says he has to supervise the entire bath. I am middle aged. I shut the shower door and he put his foot there and said I hurt him. I told him I don't care if he pees but stop watching me shower and bathe because it's weird and scares me. I am thinking of getting a gym membership to take a shower and relax. He threw a fit saying I am not allowed. Has anyone else had this happen? I am middle aged I need to bathe alone!

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Having a father knock down the door to observe you in the nude is predatory behavior. If you’re in his house, leave. If he’s in yours, call the cops when he does this.
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BurntCaregiver Jun 26, 2025
Absolutely call the cops.
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Please get dad into a facility and move on with your life. Dementia or no dementia, this is unacceptable behavior on his part and in no way your fault. If need be, move out if this is dad's house you're living in, then call APS for a wellness check on him. There has to be a line in the sand you draw, and this is IT.
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You feel like you're being violated because you ARE being violated. You DO NOT allow 'shadowing'. I was a caregiver for 25 years to people with every kind of dementia and I never allowed this nonsense. I don't care how much screaming, crying, or tantrum-throwing a client does NO ONE comes in the bathroom with me. I never got in bed with anyone either. I never slept in a client's room.

Never allow a 'shadowing' habit to form, but if one does you have to break the person out of it. If you need to put a damn deadbolt lock on the bathroon door that only you have a key for to keep him out of there when you're using it, do that. If you have to do the same for your bedroom door (or his) do that too. From what you say here, your father is still strong and mobile. Carry pepper spray on your person. Your safety must be your top priority. Tell the neighbors to call the police when he's yelling and screaming. When he's ranting and raving, you call the police. Tell them you are in genuine fear for your life (which seems true here) and that he's threatening to hurt you and himself. They will take him for up to a 72-hour psych/hold evaluation. When he is at the hospital ask to speak to a social worker and tell them what's going on and that he's an unsafe discharge. That if they release him back to the home you will leave and he will be dangerously on his own. This will get the ball rolling for placement to happen.

It's time for your father to go into a memory care facility, or to start being strongly medicated. Also, it is not for him to "allow" anything. He has dementia and is not in his right mind. You don't tell him ANYTHING you're doing or planning to do. He doesn't call the shots and isn't making the decisions anymore because he's out-of-it. If you can stay with friends or family go today. Even if you have to go to a shelter temporarily, go if you have to. You're in danger and YOUR safety needs to be your first priority, not his. Make a call to APS and tell them you're leaving and there's no one to care for him.

No one has to live like this and you certainly shouldn't have to. Enough is enough.
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Bulldog54321 Jun 26, 2025
100%. You can’t let a person with dementia be in charge, and this man is dangerous. Absolutely
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It sounds, in all honesty, as though you now need either caregiver help so as to get privacy time or Dad needs placement now. You cannot give up your entire life to someone in the way you would to a newborn infant. It is killing.
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It’s time for you dad to go to a facility and get a higher level of care. Also, as you have found out, you can’t talk sense into someone whose brain is dying.

Yes. I would get a gym membership for you to have an outlet and to shower.

Please tell me you dad is no longer driving.
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BurntCaregiver Jun 28, 2025
@Bulldog

Do you really think the person who must allow their demented father to 'supervise' them showering is really going to stand up to their parent and prevent him from driving?
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This predatory and aggressive behavior isn't acceptable. It could lead to a serious attack on you. What you are observing are warning signs that more violence could occur, and you MUST get dad into a facility where his behavior can be treated and monitored.

Other people are likely in danger from him as well. Since he's been banned from the store for running into people, it's recognized that he is a danger to others. What if he mows somebody down? And they have injuries? Or knocks over a child? Are you prepared to deal with charges of assault on his behalf? No judge is going to say, "Oh, he's a nice old guy with dementia, he didn't mean any harm. He can go home now."

Today get a lock on your bedroom door and the bathroom door. Don't underestimate his ability to figure out how to open it. Make sure it's secure.

This is serious business. Please don't think otherwise. Good luck with doing what you have to do.
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Time for you to move out or place him in a facility.
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SID2020 Jun 28, 2025
Absolutely. You need to be apart. You do not owe him anything. I can hardly believe you are having to cope with this.
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time for father to go into care - This behaviour is not right and i dont really think it will change. It seems to only escalate. Time to accept father shouldnt be living at the house. Speak to his doctor and look at options and get him assessed. In the meantime is there anyone that can speak to him and tell him if it happens again the police will be called although i'm not sure he will care? he needs to be removed from the house. Find out options and prob refrain from discussing them with him as he may get violent. It wont be an easy time and there is a risk of him not speaking to you again but seriously - what option do you have, This behaviour is wrong and will escalate.
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Maybe he has reverted to when you were a small child?
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lealonnie1 Jun 27, 2025
No excuse for this behavior, period.
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Dementia is NO excuse for putting up with this! You’re an adult deserving of privacy. There’s not a world where I could tolerate this. Simply put, all signs are showing you dad’s care has become far too much for you to handle in a home setting. Neither of you are safe in the current situation. Stop letting him have his way, bow out of this, and have him moved to professional care. You matter and should not accept this. A gym membership is not the answer at all
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Hire him a male caregiver for 4 hours 2-3 times a week to socialize, help him grocery shop, handle his personal showers, and do his laundry and vacuum and dishes and take him on a walk. He can help with all of this. Including changing his sheets on bed once a week, cleaning his bathroom, he helps with supervision, and going to pick up groceries. Move out, if you live there. You can try locks on all doors but be prepared for angry dad trying to bust down doors. Needs sedation medication from his PCP who will probably not prescribe benzodiazepines and even if yes. that means he will need more hired help. More risk of falling. Try behavioral techniques first. Nothing to lose. You sit here and watch Jeopardy or news or wheel of fortune until I come back. I’m going to take a shower. Do not interrupt me. I will tell you when I’m done. His behavior can be driven by unchecked anxiety. It’s uncomfortable for him and totally understandably, you. Get help for him in pill form or other caregiver support. Not fair to you this way.
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BurntCaregiver Jun 27, 2025
@Beethoven

He's beyond behavioral techniques. I find that if a person has an aggressive personality type the behavioral techniques do not work even when they don't have dementia. For example, when my mother wants to engage in some abusive behavior (always targeted at me since I was a child) there is nothing that would stop her or divert her attention elsewhere. She is a person who cannot be satisfied unless she knows you're completely broken down and she sees the tears. This makes her feel powerful. Then she'll try to make the peace. Once when I was a teenager she didn't see the tears and didn't get the chance to make the peace. She saw the fist instead and I walked away. I stayed away until coming back a few years ago for a bit. That was a disaster and lesson learned.

Alex's father is not going to be dissuaded by any behavior techniques. He's a sexual predator. Whether or not it's dementia-related really doesn't matter at this point. He has to see the nudity and enjoys the humiliation of Alex being 'supervised' in the shower because it makes him feel powerful. There's only one way to stop that.

Medicate him to the point where he can't be a menace in any way. (I would suggest Alex get medications from his doctor in liquid form that can be put into his food and drink without his knowledge). This is what they will do with him in a memory care facility. They certainly aren't going to allow him to supervise people showering. Not happening. They will drug him. Alex should be drugging him too.
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This is more than anyone should tolerate.
You either need a caregiver to help you as well as give you a break so you can have some of your privacy.
You also should put a deadbolt on your bedroom door. another lock on the bathroom door will not do much since most of them can be ripped off if he forces the door open. You could try a keyed lock on the bathroom door that is a bit more sturdy than a typical bathroom or bedroom door lock.
You also need to start looking into facilities for your dad. This type of behavior begins to escalate and can become difficult to manage.
I am curious if your dad did this type of thing before the dementia, maybe not at home but what did he do at work (that maybe the family was unaware of)
Also where is mom? Is she at home? or has she died?
And the other big questions...
Are you POA? or Guardian? Who makes the medical and financial decisions? Are you working? have a family of your own?
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First thing I thought was Dad thinks Alex is a child needing to be supervised. Do you know what type of Dementia Dad has? It maybe Frontal Lobe and this is the most dangerous because that is where our emotions are. You have seen how strong Dad is. He could hurt you or someone else. Do you have to live with him? If not, move out. If you do not have POA to place him, then get APS inholved. Get those locks, maybe a stronger door. Take your phone in with you to shower so you can call the police.
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Are you handicapped?
If you can't move out contact Adult Protective Services.
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And if he is still driving, put a crook lock in place on the steering wheel and then hide the key. He won't like it, but it may save someone's life.
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Changes in sexual behavior and loss of inhibition are common with Alzheimer's and other dementias. It might be time for stronger medications. These medications are a last resort because of the grogginess/sleepiness they cause, but they are necessary for some. Talk to your father's doctor immediately.
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BurntCaregiver Jun 30, 2025
@Quitecontrary

It's time for a memory care facility. Whether or not the 'changes' in sexual behavior are due to dementia or not, the OP (Alex) is still living with being violated and sexually abused (forced to have father 'supervising' showers and bathroom time). It is for a memory care facility to figure out how to drug and control him in the long term. In the short term, he should be brought to a hospital ER and a 'Social Admit' asked for. Then Alex should just walk away. Their social work department will admit him and find facility placement.
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This is intolerable for you. Sounds like it is time for dad to be placed in a facility suitable to his needs. His brain is broken and you can't expect him to have normal behaviour or judgement.

"He threw a fit and said I am not allowed" - Dad does not have a say in what you are allowed to do. In fact, it is probably not wise to share personal stuff with him.

You need to take charge and manage the situation so that his needs and your needs are met. Obviously you living with him and looking after him is not working. Personally i think that it is past the point where you two can share a home. I think he needs to be in a facility.

Tell his doctor what is happening and get an evaluation for his placement. Meanwhile look after yourself. That's your primary job. His behaviours will only get worse and you need protection. You are the one who has to provide that for yourself.
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Dad needs to be placed in a facility . Period .
This is not a healthy or safe living situation for you.
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