Elder Care

This is Jim, Linda and Jules ready to leave for their short vacation to St. Augustine.  They are FABULOUS to Dad.  Since Dad has dementia, they make sure he is safe, takes his pills, lay out his clothes each day, sees his doctors, has his meals made for him and the list goes on and on.  We made a promise to Mom that we would always care for Dad.  No assisted living places, no nursing homes as long as we are alive.

This is new. Now there is a sign on the front door that says, Please do not knock.  When Jim and Linda were out front on the porch, Pop would hear a knock and go answer the door.  Of course, if he didn't know who it was...well, you can guess the problems they ran into.  Linda told me one time he opened the door and it was the UPS man.  He gave Dad a package and Dad proceeded to put it in the hall closet.  They didn't find that package for weeks.  Just by chance they went to get a coat, and there it was.  hahaha  Pretty funny.

  Pop is 93 1/2 yrs. old, I'm his Durable Power of Attorney (DPOA) for his health.  Since Pop has dementia, I make his health decisions.  This is a photo of an envelope taped to the inside of the dumb waiter.  If Jim or Linda need to call 911, the contents of this envelope go to the paramedics.  This legally tells them NOT to do CPR on the way to the hospital.  If you don't have this document on hand they will do everything they can to resuscitate the patient.

 We have to watch Pop when he takes his pills.  He is like a little kid.  He'll hide them.  Here he is teasing Jim.  Pop says, "This is how I take them.  I throw them up into the air and open my mouth.  What goes in, I get and what doesn't..."  Well, you get the idea.  Dad is a big joker.

 Here's a portion of the menu I promised to show that is inside of the elevator.  Hmmm, I'll start with the Caviar and then have the Maine Lobster Newburg.  Those were the days.  Today you are lucky to get pretzels or peanuts.  My, how things have changed.

 We lay clean clothes out for Dad and keep track of "shower" days.  It is important to let him help out in the small ways he can, like making his bed.  We never have to ask.  It's just something he has always done.
Wish I could get my husband to make his!

 If you are wondering what Dad is doing, he just removed the individual table settings, put them away, and is now making up the daytime table.  Here he is being funny, flinging the centerpiece doily onto the glass table.
He loves to do this and sometimes it lands perfectly in the middle of the table.  Ahhh the simple pleasures in life.

 Dang close to center.  He smooths out the wrinkles and puts fresh flowers on the table.  Now time to go get dressed for the day.

Last, but not least...that's the sailfish on the wall that I caught when I was 13 yrs. old.  Underneath it is a photo of our mother who passed away at age 71.  Pop loves that photo.  He says she is the most gorgeous woman he has ever seen.  Unfortunately, that part of his mind is a blank.  He doesn't remember her anymore, but he finds the photo very comforting. We have been truly blessed, my brother and I, with the most wonderful parents in the world.