(no subject)

[the_rck]

I talked to my mother a couple of nights ago. She was just down in Florida, visiting her father, last week. He's doing pretty well, all things considered. He's recovered from his cracked pelvis, but he's out of shape and frail because he didn't exercise for so long. At this point, there isn't a lot he can safely do. His caretaker walks him back and forth on his large porch, but that's about the extent of it.

His Alzheimer's has really progressed. He doesn't recognize anyone from moment to moment. He couldn't tell my mother from his caretaker. We're fortunate-- Most people with Alzheimer's became paranoid and hostile because they assume the strangers around them are hostile. My grandfather assumes that whoever's in his house is there to take care of him and is quite friendly.

Mom has found a good caretaker for my grandfather. We're very lucky to have her. She has to do a lot of work because he can't even remember where the bathrooms are in his house now. She has to take him there periodically throughout the day, the way one would take a toddler in process of potty training in just in case. They've got a sensor pad next to his bed so that an alarm goes off to wake her if he gets out of bed. He literally can't find the bathroom attached to his bedroom on his own.

Comments

[untonuggan]

*hug*

[rthstewart.livejournal.com]

This must be so difficult for your family. It is wonderful you have good and trust caretaker. That must be a huge relief for your mom.

[the_rck]

She and her brothers are paying for their father's in home care. Right now, it's cheaper than putting him in a retirement home. I hope that continues because he's getting good care right now. The hard part is that the man we all knew is gone. We don't love him less, but we miss him already, even though he's still alive. I'm really sorry that Cordelia isn't going to have any memories of him. She met him once when she was about eleven months old. He was so pleased to have a great-grandchild.