Hello everyone,
Almost exactly a year ago I posted here, feeling rather down and confused:
http://www.alzheimers.org.uk/TalkingPoint/discuss/showthread.php?t=460
Things have moved on. Mum moved into an "ordinary" care home, about 35 mins away, last year, along with her dog and things seemed to be going well until earlier this year. Mum wasn't really controlling the dog and had made a few bids to escape, risking herself, her dog and goodness knows how many strangers as she wandered country lanes in her wheelchair.
The time had come to move her to an EMI home - not something we relished, but we knew she'd be much safer there. Well last weekend the move happened. I'd dreaded it, thinking that mum would kick up about not belonging in a place where there were elderly confused people. Mum's 62 and has moved into a home for the over 65's (there aren't any around here for younger sufferers) and has insisted since this all began that there wasn't really a problem with "her head".
But we needn't have worried, at least for now... mum's in her element! Within about an hour she was in the lounge, chatting to anyone who would listen, and singing "Que Sera Sera"!!! I think she's responding really well to the less restrictive surroundings, and it's so good to have her closer and more accessible than she was before. She's dealing well with the fact her dog hasn't moved with her (we've explained the Cinnamon Trust are looking after him for her - a superb charity organisation - and I'm hoping with time the questions about him will reduce) and she's making friends with the two home cats.
As an unexpected bonus, following developments this year, she decided she didn't need to take her wheelchair with her - this from a woman who's been utterly dependant on it for the last 25 years! My mum's walking again... and I'd forgotten how short she was!
Every cloud....
Mandy
Almost exactly a year ago I posted here, feeling rather down and confused:
http://www.alzheimers.org.uk/TalkingPoint/discuss/showthread.php?t=460
Things have moved on. Mum moved into an "ordinary" care home, about 35 mins away, last year, along with her dog and things seemed to be going well until earlier this year. Mum wasn't really controlling the dog and had made a few bids to escape, risking herself, her dog and goodness knows how many strangers as she wandered country lanes in her wheelchair.
The time had come to move her to an EMI home - not something we relished, but we knew she'd be much safer there. Well last weekend the move happened. I'd dreaded it, thinking that mum would kick up about not belonging in a place where there were elderly confused people. Mum's 62 and has moved into a home for the over 65's (there aren't any around here for younger sufferers) and has insisted since this all began that there wasn't really a problem with "her head".
But we needn't have worried, at least for now... mum's in her element! Within about an hour she was in the lounge, chatting to anyone who would listen, and singing "Que Sera Sera"!!! I think she's responding really well to the less restrictive surroundings, and it's so good to have her closer and more accessible than she was before. She's dealing well with the fact her dog hasn't moved with her (we've explained the Cinnamon Trust are looking after him for her - a superb charity organisation - and I'm hoping with time the questions about him will reduce) and she's making friends with the two home cats.
As an unexpected bonus, following developments this year, she decided she didn't need to take her wheelchair with her - this from a woman who's been utterly dependant on it for the last 25 years! My mum's walking again... and I'd forgotten how short she was!
Every cloud....
Mandy