I wish my Grandma didn't live with us

tessadragon

Registered User
Apr 7, 2011
158
0
Surrey
That delights me about the book/journal project, Lisa :) Though I can understand your worries that she might act nasty to your mother when she thinks of her own mother...have you discussed this tendency with your mother, or could you explain about wanting to record her stories so that she's prepared just in case, or maybe she will find a strategy that can help if your grandmother does get hostile in this way at her?
About the bird feeder --> bird poop, what about keeping a small bottle of antibacterial gel and putting a little bit onto your hands then acting like you're massaging her hands, you could say something like, "Grandma, your hands feel very tense, can I make sure that they relax?" that way the antibacterial gel could hopefully kill off the germs. I can understand your concern about the germs carried by birds. Otherwise even turn it into a manicure session, a small bowl of warm water and a towel, encourage her to soak her hands, then patting them dry?
Sometimes the elderly get more interested and even coy if they think they're being treated. I know I've seen in some care homes that they encourage relatives when visiting to do small activities like manicures because they find it comforting, relaxing and caring.
I suspect the others will have encountered this kind of problem with their relatives and will have found quite a range of solutions or ways to prevent it cropping up :)
 
Last edited:

Bookworm

Registered User
Jan 30, 2009
2,580
0
Co. Derry
Manicure instead of overtly fussing over hygiene

Thank you Tessa - what a lovely idea - to make handwashing part of a comforting/pampering routine. I'd never have thought of that. :cool:
 

Craftycakes

Registered User
Nov 23, 2012
7
0
32
Plymouth
Lisa74,

Im 20 and my grandad lives with me and my parents too. He has vascular dementia and in the 2 years he's lived with us he's deteriorated quite rapidly. I often feel like I wish things could go back to the way they were and that if he was the grandad i used to know then I wouldn't get so frustrated at him living with us (which i do quite a lot).

Im always here for a chat if you need to let out some frustrations as I know how it feels.

xx
 

Kathphlox

Registered User
Dec 16, 2009
1,088
0
Bolton
Thank you Tessa - what a lovely idea - to make handwashing part of a comforting/pampering routine. I'd never have thought of that. :cool:

I used to do that every morning. After the carers had washed and dressed Dad, I would then feed him his breakfast and when everything was cleared away I would get out the anti-bac hand gel and nail file and clean his fingernails and massage his hands with the gel. How his fingernails got so dirty I'll never know, but if he fell asleep while I was doing it, I would clip them too if they were getting long :)
 

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