Hi, my Grandfather has just been diagnosed with Alzheimers and Vascular dementia, fairly advanced. Due to other commitiments I have not seen much of him recently, so have a lot of news I would like to share with him, mainly my new job/career. I would really like him to understand what I do, and to know that i am thinking of him, so I had an idea. I thought of making a book of photos showing my journey to work, my workplace and colleagues, and what i do there. In this way he could keep it with him at home and look at it whenever he wanted to , and know what I was doing then, and also know that I had made it for him to show that I am thinking of him even though I do not see him often. Does anyone have any feedback on this idea? have you found it useful, or done something similar? I would really like any advice you can offer. Thank for reading this.[ My answer. Improve your story to us so that we can better contribute. What I mean is;- Is your grandfather mobile?
Perhaps he has poor visions?
How is his hearing?
Is he in a care home - or not?
Do you have a car and drive to work?
Can you take him out for a ride and talk him through the route you take.
Put it all on a casette and gently see how he adjusts to listening to the sound of your voice with ear pieces. (I experiment all the time. Last month I found a youngster to download CAREFULLY SELECTED music preferred by my mother onto a cheap £20 Argos MP3. This month's challenge has been to get a young KEEN carer to take my Mum swimming so she swam 2 widths this week.
Organise for him a cordless phone.
Talk to him, via care staff, once a day, once a week, so that he hears your voice and always begin with the same clear articulation and explanation "Hello granddad. This is your granddaughter, Lulu, speaking to you by phone. I am thinking of you and want you to know that although I am a long way away I am thinking of you and I always check with the care staff before speaking to you to find out if you are well. Is that so? Regarding me, this week at work I did bla, bla and chat for 2 minutes or so. Good luck.
Mag, the original Londoner
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