My father in law seems to be moving into a new stage. More and more often, when asked something, he just looks vacant. He looks at you but makes no attempt to answer. Doing the simplest of tasks is a real struggle, and when you ask him to get something, it's anyone's guess what he'll come back with!!
I was talking to a friend and was trying to find a way to describe it and the word that came was "unaware". He's unaware of everything, of how things work, of what's appropriate, of how to take care of himself. He's unaware that he shouldn't leave the doors wide open when he leaves the house or turn the fridge off. He's unaware of what day / time it is or what he's watching on TV. And it got me thinking, when he stands in the kitchen spending 10 mins folding closed the teabag bag, when he can't work out if he's took his tablets or not, when he's eating beef stew for breakfast or making tea without water, when he goes to find a plaster and comes back with 7 different types of tape... Does he know that it's not 'normal' or is he just unaware that that's what he's doing? Is he aware of feeling different, does it feel like there's something 'wrong'. He seems quite content at the moment (although I know that will probably change) but all he does it sit in his chair and stare at the TV. Can he really not know that something is seriously wrong with him? It would be nice to think that he doesn't.
I'm not sure if this makes sense or if anyone knows the answer but I just needed to put it out there so it stops taking up so much headspace.
I was talking to a friend and was trying to find a way to describe it and the word that came was "unaware". He's unaware of everything, of how things work, of what's appropriate, of how to take care of himself. He's unaware that he shouldn't leave the doors wide open when he leaves the house or turn the fridge off. He's unaware of what day / time it is or what he's watching on TV. And it got me thinking, when he stands in the kitchen spending 10 mins folding closed the teabag bag, when he can't work out if he's took his tablets or not, when he's eating beef stew for breakfast or making tea without water, when he goes to find a plaster and comes back with 7 different types of tape... Does he know that it's not 'normal' or is he just unaware that that's what he's doing? Is he aware of feeling different, does it feel like there's something 'wrong'. He seems quite content at the moment (although I know that will probably change) but all he does it sit in his chair and stare at the TV. Can he really not know that something is seriously wrong with him? It would be nice to think that he doesn't.
I'm not sure if this makes sense or if anyone knows the answer but I just needed to put it out there so it stops taking up so much headspace.