Saturday was not too bad. I took mum for a haircut with her lady that has been looking after her hair for years. Mum was cold, she didn't know anyone, it was noisy, why was she waiting? We managed to jolly her along and the haircut looked fab - mum particularly liked the hairdryer. Warmed her up no end! I can't see us managing this for much longer.
Awful visit on Sunday. I arrived 11am at the assisted living to find mum in her flat in silence (no music/tv). There was a half eaten banana, a finished bowl of cereal, a cold mug of tea and an untouched glass of juice. Checking the log I saw breakfast had been given at 8.30am. Mum had been left unchecked for 2.5 hours with absolutely no stimulation. Her clothes were dirty( from spilled milk as she ate her cereal or hot tea???) so I changed her. There was no one about to challenge about this. Instead I wrote it all down in the daily log in her flat and raised it later with the manager who simply apologised.
We went out in the car intending to go to a local shopping arcade. I stupidly thought mum would enjoy seeing all things Christmassy. 10 minutes into the journey - again something mum used to enjoy - and she wanted to go home. So back we went. I helped and encouraged her to have her lunch in the dining room and spent most of the afternoon walking with her in the corridors for 5 minutes, then sitting in her flat because she was tired , and repeat. I'm afraid i started to lose my patience.
I left at 4 when one of the main carers came with a colleague to take over.
Oh the joys of staff shortages, agency staff that have had no handover. A difficult position for all, but mostly mum who was unsettled all day... and me... who spent most of the evening despairing as to when mum will finally be in surroundings commensurate with her escalating needs and dwindling faculties.