Dear All
Dad is now on his second day at the CH. The staff and manager have been wonderfully reassuring. So important at such a traumatic time. Dad and I are old hands at this, you'd think it would get easier, but sadly the opposite is true. There have been number of concerns. The main one is an 'old chestnut' The GLASSES issue. Dad had managed to lose his glasses on his last day in hospital. The consequences of this are far reaching. Although mobile, Dad is even more frail and unsteady. He was high risk of falls before he lost his glasses, the situation is a whole lot worse now. There is another pair on order asap. Needless to say he has had a bump and has cut his forehead. I just hope he can get through the next few days without anything more serious happening... The CH have discussed the need for maybe Dad wearing hip protectors, they are going to see if he will co-operate wearing some.
Yesterday's visit was rather traumatic as Dad was very disorientated, uderstandably. But the home have very quickly tried to get to know Dad and his triggers. I was able to get together a 'scrap book'folder that included information I thought they might find useful- it has helped everybody enormously. They have even been able to write a careplan based on whats in it. The scrap book is very much a 'work in progress' and I intend to add much more information, photos etc as we go along. For example, I need to include a section on hobbies. Although Dad cant take part in his hobbies any more, the home feel its important to be able to stimulate his environment, so that he can see or hear activites going on. Very multisensory.
The latest visit to Dad showed him to be anxious but beginning to settle. He was able to thank staff on occasion, which I thought was very moving because he can't make a lot of sense and can still be polite to patients and staff. This is the Dad I know, when he's feeling really poorly and showing challenging behaviour they will know its not him, but the illness.
The best bit of all about tonights visit was that he recognised me and was able to wave bye bye when I left. He hasn't done that for a while.
take care
hendy