Hi

sue51

New member
Apr 8, 2020
3
0
Ive just joined the forum, but ive watched from the sidelines for a while. Our situation is, mum is in a care home with the condition of alzheimers and vascualar dementia which was diaganosed in February 2019. Her condition seems to be a slow moving one mentally, I think partly due to the interaction of family visits and the companionship of her 2 close friends within the home. Her physical condition is much different and the condition has very much affected her ability to walk unaided. My concern at the moment is that, like everyone else, we are in lockdown, so there is no physical contact with mum. We ring her constantly, but this is a challenge because she barely stays on the phone long enough to maintain a proper conversation. What has become more concerning since Monday afternoon, is that every resident has been put into self isolation until further notice, apparently due to new guidelines from gov.uk and I really worry about mum not having any form of brain stimulant or interaction other than the carers bringing her the meals and dealing with her care.
Mum doesnt understand the concept of face time, and can barely operate her mobile phone. Due to 2 broken shoulders in the past 2 years, she doesnt have full use of her arms and can barely hold a pen. Her lack of concentration with regard to book reading is very minimal. If anyone has any suggestions of how we can keep her going, rather than the illness getting complete control of her, due to lack of interaction
 

karaokePete

Registered User
Jul 23, 2017
6,534
0
N Ireland
Hello and welcome @sue51

I don't have an answer but wonder if a read through the Covid-19 sub forum might throw up some ideas for you.

Just click the following link if you want to check
 

jaymor

Registered User
Jul 14, 2006
15,604
0
South Staffordshire
Hi @sue51 and welcome to Dementia Talking Point.

We are in a very difficult time and if telephoning or video messaging are not going to work for you then perhaps sending letters or cards that the staff can read to her if she has difficultly reading or even some magazines. If you get ones that she might be interested in then looking at the pictures would please her. My husband liked gardening catalogues, he spent hours in the nursing home choosing his plants and the same with travel ones, he struggled to read but enjoyed the colourful photos and talking about planting in his imaginary garden and travelling to countries he had been to. He told the Carers he had been to Borneo several times and the beaches were beautiful. We had never been to Malaysia but he knew Borneo had lovely beaches.
 

lemonbalm

Registered User
May 21, 2018
1,799
0
Would your mum enjoy listening to the radio and would it work ok in her room? If so, you could send one with a note to the carers asking them to switch it on in the mornings to a particular station (you could tune it before sending). Best to get a plug in one so that it can be left on all day without running out of power.

Does she have a tv and DVD player in her room? (a lot of care homes seem to have these now). If so, you could send some DVDs you think she would find engaging.

My mum cant really talk much at all now, so 'phoning doesn't really work. Skype was too confusing and distressing for her, so I send occasional things by post and send love via the carers.
 

pixie2

Registered User
Jul 21, 2018
88
0
Ive just joined the forum, but ive watched from the sidelines for a while. Our situation is, mum is in a care home with the condition of alzheimers and vascualar dementia which was diaganosed in February 2019. Her condition seems to be a slow moving one mentally, I think partly due to the interaction of family visits and the companionship of her 2 close friends within the home. Her physical condition is much different and the condition has very much affected her ability to walk unaided. My concern at the moment is that, like everyone else, we are in lockdown, so there is no physical contact with mum. We ring her constantly, but this is a challenge because she barely stays on the phone long enough to maintain a proper conversation. What has become more concerning since Monday afternoon, is that every resident has been put into self isolation until further notice, apparently due to new guidelines from gov.uk and I really worry about mum not having any form of brain stimulant or interaction other than the carers bringing her the meals and dealing with her care.
Mum doesnt understand the concept of face time, and can barely operate her mobile phone. Due to 2 broken shoulders in the past 2 years, she doesnt have full use of her arms and can barely hold a pen. Her lack of concentration with regard to book reading is very minimal. If anyone has any suggestions of how we can keep her going, rather than the illness getting complete control of her, due to lack of interaction

Hi

I am in Exactly the same situation, i cry all the time, mum was ok on phone until lockdown and also with tv but the isolating has made her really deteriorate. I can at least see her through care home window but its upsetting as we usually watch tv together and chat, now she has nobody and sleeps
 

sue51

New member
Apr 8, 2020
3
0
Hi

I am in Exactly the same situation, i cry all the time, mum was ok on phone until lockdown and also with tv but the isolating has made her really deteriorate. I can at least see her through care home window but its upsetting as we usually watch tv together and chat, now she has nobody and sleeps
I started doing that, just so i could see her face, but then i got put in high vulnerable group to isolate for 12 weeks, so i cant even do that. I can feel a deterioration, but cant do anything about it
 

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