Good Evening
Dad has been in an assessment centre now for 4 1/2 weeks. He still some days better than others but I think he is making quite good progress on the new meds - certainly during our daily he visits he is generally much more alert & cheerful than he was prior to being admitted.
Mobility is still a major problem (he fractured his ankle and had 8 weeks in plaster.) Unfortunately he had 3 falls in his first 2 days at the assessment centre (the major one requiring stitches to his forehead.) Since then he has not managed as well with walking with his frame as he did before he went in there, even though the plaster cast has been off now for a couple of weeks. He seems to have lost confidence - sometimes does OK, with guidance & support - but sometimes seems to have lost the concept of putting one foot in front of the other.
Ahead of the "D Day" meeting with the Consultant on Tuesday - a "home visit" has been arranged for tomorrow morning - he is coming home for about an hour or so with the physio & the OT - to see how he manages to get about in his own home surroundings. I think that's really positive news (just hope that coming back home for a flying visit will not "unsettle" him too much.)
Mum would be much happier to have him home if he can get upstairs to sleep in his own bedroom - but I'm worried that this is quite a "tall order" for him at the moment. Prior to his admission - we moved the bed downstairs & I slept on a mattress on the floor as he was awake for much of the night. Never been so tired in my life & not sure that I could keep that up "long term". Hopefully the new meds seem to be improving his sleeping patterns considerably - but even with a "baby monitor" fixed up - I would still have concerns with him sleeping downstairs alone.
Mum has several concerns about having a stairlift fitted - not only the "cosmetic" but also the safety angle. Does anyone have any experience of using these with an AZ sufferer?
If his mobility is the only thing deciding whether he returns home or goes to a Nursing Home at this stage - I would like to consider anything possible to get him home.
Keep your fingers crossed for us tomorrow (about 10:30 a.m)
Love
Gill x
Dad has been in an assessment centre now for 4 1/2 weeks. He still some days better than others but I think he is making quite good progress on the new meds - certainly during our daily he visits he is generally much more alert & cheerful than he was prior to being admitted.
Mobility is still a major problem (he fractured his ankle and had 8 weeks in plaster.) Unfortunately he had 3 falls in his first 2 days at the assessment centre (the major one requiring stitches to his forehead.) Since then he has not managed as well with walking with his frame as he did before he went in there, even though the plaster cast has been off now for a couple of weeks. He seems to have lost confidence - sometimes does OK, with guidance & support - but sometimes seems to have lost the concept of putting one foot in front of the other.
Ahead of the "D Day" meeting with the Consultant on Tuesday - a "home visit" has been arranged for tomorrow morning - he is coming home for about an hour or so with the physio & the OT - to see how he manages to get about in his own home surroundings. I think that's really positive news (just hope that coming back home for a flying visit will not "unsettle" him too much.)
Mum would be much happier to have him home if he can get upstairs to sleep in his own bedroom - but I'm worried that this is quite a "tall order" for him at the moment. Prior to his admission - we moved the bed downstairs & I slept on a mattress on the floor as he was awake for much of the night. Never been so tired in my life & not sure that I could keep that up "long term". Hopefully the new meds seem to be improving his sleeping patterns considerably - but even with a "baby monitor" fixed up - I would still have concerns with him sleeping downstairs alone.
Mum has several concerns about having a stairlift fitted - not only the "cosmetic" but also the safety angle. Does anyone have any experience of using these with an AZ sufferer?
If his mobility is the only thing deciding whether he returns home or goes to a Nursing Home at this stage - I would like to consider anything possible to get him home.
Keep your fingers crossed for us tomorrow (about 10:30 a.m)
Love
Gill x