Mother-In-Law Is Having a Crisis Today
By LooeyVille
@LooeyVille (71)
United States
July 28, 2026 11:04am CST
We've already received three phone calls from the care facility this morning regarding Mother-In-Law.
First, she reported to the care staff that "all my jewelry" was stolen. As far as we know she has three watches, 4 pair of earrings, 2 rings, and a necklace.
The Care Staff Supervisor met with MIL and MIL says "my family visited me yesterday and took me out and they stole my watches." Nobody visited her yesterday. She had the pink watch on her arm Sunday when my brother-in-law visited. She called my husband last night asking if I had "borrowed" her watch because "she's taken my things before."
MIL is crying and exhibiting paranoid behavior.
The care facility has asked us to come today to remove all of her jewelry from her room to prevent future accusations and "missing" items. They said the value of the items doesn't matter (it's all cheap costume jewelry) but that it agitates her greatly when she can't find something, even though she's the one hiding the items.
So in a couple of hours (I have a dr's appt in the meantime) hubby and I will go to the care home and try to take MIL's jewelry. It will not be a pleasant situation for either her or us.
6 people like this
7 responses
@AmbiePam (123659)
• United States
6h
@LooeyVille The seven is not going to matter to her. Her mind will still make up reasons why things are like she says they are. Then she’ll say you didn’t really leave seven of each, that you never discussed it with her after all. You’re trying to appeal to sense she no longer has. For a day something may work, but it won’t last. I don’t want to discourage you, but it’s just a bumpy ride you have to endure.
I asked my mom once to close the front door. She said it was closed. Meanwhile, the door was so open sunshine was pouring in. I pointed to it, and tried to get her to see it was open. But it didn’t matter. I was appealing to sense she no longer had. No one can make it better, even though it’s natural to try.
1 person likes this
@LooeyVille (71)
• United States
6h
On the one hand I understand why we need to take the jewelry. On the other hand, she's just going to focus her paranoia onto something else. Hubby has a great idea that I'm willing to do but I don't know if he'll actually be willing to do it or not. We would take all her clothes and shoes away except for 7 shirts, 7 pants, 7 shoes, etc. That way there's an EXACT number of items and when she says something's been stolen, we can count them and show her that they're all there. She still has way too much stuff in her room but we've let her keep more than we thought she should have to help her get adjusted to her new surroundings.
1 person likes this
@Traceyjayne (12607)
• United Kingdom
7h
Firstly, I hope the Drs appointment goes well.
Secondly, I’m sorry that you and MIL are going through this. It’s not a pleasant time for any of you. You are doing everything you can for her x
1 person likes this
@LooeyVille (71)
• United States
7h
It's going to be a very necessary act that we take away her jewelry, but it's not going to go easy, that's for sure. Hubby says if we take her jewelry away, she'll just accuse something else of being stolen (clothes, shoes, food) but we can only do what we can do.
@Traceyjayne (12607)
• United Kingdom
6h
@LooeyVille sadly that is likely to be the case.
1 person likes this
@wolfgirl569 (138089)
• Marion, Ohio
2h
It will make it easier on the staff at least as they can tell her she doesn't have any there
@RasmaSandra (99423)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
2h
So sorry to hear this. I feel so sorry for MIL. I can imagine how hard it is when you really don't understand much at all and get so confused. Putting her in my prayers.
@Ineeddentures (39689)
•
4h
"to prevent future accusations and "missing" items"
My betting is that your mother in law , even if she had none of these items in her possession, will still be making accusations etc.
It might even make it worse
@Ineeddentures (39689)
•
4h
I don't think it will.
She will forget she doesn't have the items and perhaps be even more convinced so done had stolen them
1 person likes this
