Well we survived Christmas. We had a full house at my brothers. Brother, sister-in law, their nine year old, big dog and SilL's sister, my husband, adult son and I plus mum. Mum had invited herself there in about July and was looking forward to it. I think she enjoyed herself, though she was grumpy most of the time as things weren't exactly how she wanted them and had a couple of meltdowns when my brother was accused of trying to freeze her by not having the heating on. It was boiling, the rest of us had run out of thin things to wear while mum was in several layers with a rug wrapped round her.
It was obvious that she can't really join in conversation anymore. She talked more or less non stop but it was just various stories we've all heard before muddled together. She wasn't sure who we all were, though that may have partly been to her poor eyesight. All the men in the party were interchangeable and my poor son got the story about how she had given birth to him. She also seemed to think SiL and her sister were the hired help, and kept on talking about the 'lovely ladies'. She also referred to me in the third person when she was talking to me and seems to have forgotten my husband's name entirely.
We took her back safely yesterday, and I think convinced her the neighbours hadn't been in while she was away. While at my brother's she'd spent ages looking for a bag. It wasn't important, she had the things that are normally in it with her, and I think I convinced her she must have not brought it with her. On her return it was where she usually keeps it. Her explanation 'The neighbours must have taken it, and brought it back, because they know where I leave it.' ????
It is obvious that a crisis will happen soon. We are still no further with moving her near my brothers, and I'm getting concerned about the place we want to move her to as they seem to be offering less and less care and I think there is a buy-out or similar in the offing. Mum still thinks she is fine, and until something happens it seems pointless to try and chase up memory clinic appointments etc.