My mother picks at her skin (mainly her arm's) until she has caused herself to bleed. She has caused deep scars on her arms from this. I have been keeping her nails clipped short as possible, I also bandage her arms, but she takes the bandage off as soon as I put it on. She just can't stop digging into her skin. Also, she constantly pulls at her tongue until it becomes raw. I try everything to distract her, but she goes right back to pulling and scratching. Any ideas?
Right now mine will pick at her nose, ears, constantly scratching and picking at her head, her mouth, to the point of making scabs on her face, then she picks at those. I have never heard that it is an "end of life" symptom though.
Well worth mentioning to her doctor......it could be a possible side effect of whatever medications she is taking.
Mine had to pick at every splinter, cut, scab, pimple etc. that we had and boils were her specialty - every ailment had to be treated. The other day I mentioned I had a stomach ache and she told me to take a Tylenol!! (which is NOT for stomach........) She said this because she is addicted to them and who knows how many she takes a day - no wonder she had to go to the hospital once for "renal failure" - those things are hell on liver and kidneys!! Monitor whatever your Mom takes!