This thread is about my family, our experience of dementia and memory loss and also the many animals we have had.
My father (now with early memory loss) has always been obsessed with animals since early childhood. He was a keen reader of the naturalist Gerald Durrell, hence the thread title. My father retired early, and spent many happy years breeding reptiles and amphibians and other exotic pets. I always helped him. Recently at 84, he has been finding it all a bit too much for him. We recently (thanks for asking @MaNaAk ) rehomed his tortoises (all 7 of them) to friends.
So I suppose this thread documents the experiences of memory loss in both my parents, but also our lifelong love of animals as a family.
My mother (who had mixed dementia, and died last year), was less keen on reptiles, but loved dogs and bird watching. We were very lucky in that her care home arranged bird feeders close to the window, so that she was able to watch them when she could not do much else. She also enjoyed aminal encounters at her care home. A company called Zoo Lab do animal sessions with exotics and Mummy amazed everyone my holding all the snakes, whilst the care home staff cowered in a corner! I told them she was used to it.
I have attached a picture of Mummy holding a baby goat. I went to see her one afternoon, not expecting much (she has been on a downward spiral) to find them wheeling in a large cage of baby goats. We had a lovely afternoon.
This thread has been a bit rambling but I suppose my musing are -
Animals (for our family) make everything better.
I am a firm supporter of animal therapy, for those who would like it. We wanted to set up a tank of tropical fish at Mummy's home, but sadly health and safety proved too difficult.
Rehoming animals is difficult when they can no longer be cared for properly. My father, whilst sad to see his tortoises go, was at a stage when he could still understand that it would be better for them. I feel terribly guilty, but believe it was the right time to to rehome them. Animals really are his life and like everything, gets taken over by dementia.
Just to to say, he still has his parrot.
Not exactly sure what I am trying to say here, but this has been on my mind.
My father (now with early memory loss) has always been obsessed with animals since early childhood. He was a keen reader of the naturalist Gerald Durrell, hence the thread title. My father retired early, and spent many happy years breeding reptiles and amphibians and other exotic pets. I always helped him. Recently at 84, he has been finding it all a bit too much for him. We recently (thanks for asking @MaNaAk ) rehomed his tortoises (all 7 of them) to friends.
So I suppose this thread documents the experiences of memory loss in both my parents, but also our lifelong love of animals as a family.
My mother (who had mixed dementia, and died last year), was less keen on reptiles, but loved dogs and bird watching. We were very lucky in that her care home arranged bird feeders close to the window, so that she was able to watch them when she could not do much else. She also enjoyed aminal encounters at her care home. A company called Zoo Lab do animal sessions with exotics and Mummy amazed everyone my holding all the snakes, whilst the care home staff cowered in a corner! I told them she was used to it.
I have attached a picture of Mummy holding a baby goat. I went to see her one afternoon, not expecting much (she has been on a downward spiral) to find them wheeling in a large cage of baby goats. We had a lovely afternoon.
This thread has been a bit rambling but I suppose my musing are -
Animals (for our family) make everything better.
I am a firm supporter of animal therapy, for those who would like it. We wanted to set up a tank of tropical fish at Mummy's home, but sadly health and safety proved too difficult.
Rehoming animals is difficult when they can no longer be cared for properly. My father, whilst sad to see his tortoises go, was at a stage when he could still understand that it would be better for them. I feel terribly guilty, but believe it was the right time to to rehome them. Animals really are his life and like everything, gets taken over by dementia.
Just to to say, he still has his parrot.
Not exactly sure what I am trying to say here, but this has been on my mind.
