I haven’t posted for ages; seem never to have the time these days.
This week Margaret is in respite care, so having more time for myself for a few days I thought I would return to the fold.
Since I last posted Margaret has deteriorated until she now is almost immobile, very rarely speaks and when she does it is usually unintelligible. She has to be fed, and will not or can not swallow solid food and went down to six stones in weight, I now puree almost everything and have got her back up to just under seven stones. She is still aggressive and will lash out and hit you if she is in that mood, but not as frequently as she used to.
We have moved into a bungalow earlier this year, from a three-storied house (which is another factor that stopped the posting) and had the bathroom made into a wet room with a wheeled shower/commode chair. Life has become much easier from a physical point of view; in fact, I could not have managed much longer had we stayed where we were.
Now have Direct Payments to enable me to engage Crossroads four afternoons one week and three afternoons the alternate week. In addition, this year starting August 1st we have 56 days respite care to cover the next 12 months. I have booked seven weeks throughout the year, this week being the first, and saved a week for any emergency that might arise. We are fortunate that the council have a new purpose built EMI unit only 1 mile from our house; they take 30 permanent residents and have 10 respite beds in a separate wing. Everything is brand new and the staff seem very good, pleasant and conscientious.
We still manage to have a holiday thanks to Vitalise, went to West Bridgeford in May and have booked for Southport again in October, they only take Alzheimer’s patients 2 weeks per year so we are restricted to those weeks.
Just thought I would let you know that things aren’t always black and you can get bright periods.
Cheers Frank
This week Margaret is in respite care, so having more time for myself for a few days I thought I would return to the fold.
Since I last posted Margaret has deteriorated until she now is almost immobile, very rarely speaks and when she does it is usually unintelligible. She has to be fed, and will not or can not swallow solid food and went down to six stones in weight, I now puree almost everything and have got her back up to just under seven stones. She is still aggressive and will lash out and hit you if she is in that mood, but not as frequently as she used to.
We have moved into a bungalow earlier this year, from a three-storied house (which is another factor that stopped the posting) and had the bathroom made into a wet room with a wheeled shower/commode chair. Life has become much easier from a physical point of view; in fact, I could not have managed much longer had we stayed where we were.
Now have Direct Payments to enable me to engage Crossroads four afternoons one week and three afternoons the alternate week. In addition, this year starting August 1st we have 56 days respite care to cover the next 12 months. I have booked seven weeks throughout the year, this week being the first, and saved a week for any emergency that might arise. We are fortunate that the council have a new purpose built EMI unit only 1 mile from our house; they take 30 permanent residents and have 10 respite beds in a separate wing. Everything is brand new and the staff seem very good, pleasant and conscientious.
We still manage to have a holiday thanks to Vitalise, went to West Bridgeford in May and have booked for Southport again in October, they only take Alzheimer’s patients 2 weeks per year so we are restricted to those weeks.
Just thought I would let you know that things aren’t always black and you can get bright periods.
Cheers Frank
wishing you a good rest, giving you back the energy to keep looking after Margaret
