“Dear Rachael, after lunch every day my client asks, ‘Can I go home now?’ I’ve tried following her lead and taking her to her room which is not what she is referring to when she says home. Sometimes I can redirect her to an activity if I say, ‘Yes! But can you help me with something first?’ She will help but throughout the activity and after she loops back to this. Any tips?”
From Rachael’s eKit, “The How What When Why Guide”
Abridged Transcript
This is a common problem. I think taking her to her room is not helping, and might actually be making it worse because then she’s like, well, yeah, so what?…this is not where I’m trying to go.
Typically, when people are talking about home, they’re referring to where they grew up or a home that is really comfortable and familiar to them. So I like that you’re saying yes, and asking “Can you help me with something?” first.
I would continue putting those roadblocks up, find other things that you can ask her to do, or say things like, “Well, let’s have lunch first”, or even blame having to delay going home on the weather.
Eventually this will cease. And if this is the most irritating thing that’s happening, I think you’re actually probably lucky.
I know this is annoying, but it’s manageable and eventually she will stop asking about this.
So, I would stop taking her to her room because that may just agitate her further.
Continue finding ways to engage her, and eventually this behavior will cease.
