Toilet ideas

A  few ideas I am using re toilet issues at home:

• I have got a walker in the bedroom and George is to use this at night to get him into the toilet quicker
• I have used a chopping board and cut it out to fit around the toilet bowl. On to this I have put some toes so George knows where to put his toes when going to the toilet.

Let's see how these go.

Continence problems

Yesterday morning, while I was getting ready to go to Mum, George was still in bed. When he got up I went to get the sheets to wash them. The top sheet was pulled back and the bottom sheet was soiled. The same has happened this morning. Both times I have found his undies and the dirty continence pad in the laundry. Obviously what must happen is that he soils the pad and so takes off his pants in the bedroom and sits down while he is doing this. I am going over and over with him that he must only take his pants off when he is in the toilet!

We can but try!

The pads are generally working pretty well although I had to change them four times yesterday.

It is interesting as I knew that it would be a bad day as his bottom lip was slack. This is very similar to the lip of someone with Downs Syndrome.

Club

Went to pick George up from his club and was told that he was outside doing gardening! Fascinated, as George has never done gardening, I was envisaging George being able to help at home. I went outside to find George pressing weeds down in the bin: this was his gardening.

On the way home I asked him what he had had for lunch; a small pie and some grass...

It is very interesting as George's progression is so similar to Mum's. The minute he gets in the car I have to give him a jar of pepper mints to suck on. They seem to keep him occupied and happy as they did with Mum.

Birthday

George had a great birthday.

On the day before his birthday he had his club where they had a cake and made a great fuss of him. When I picked him up that afternoon and asked how his day had been he said 'excellent'.

On the day of his birthday the carer came and gave him a shower and then he started complaining that he didn't feel well and went back to bed. I gave him breakfast and other food and finally he felt well enough to go and visit a friend where he had an enjoyable time.  That afternoon I took him to the movie which he enjoyed but I had to explain on the way home. We saw Saving Mr Banks which was quite a moving movie.

George was so thrilled with his presents and especially as two of his sons had sent a card and present each. That meant so much to him. One of these sons also Skyped him and they had a long and enjoyable chat. All in all a successful day.

Enjoy the special moments.

What a day!

George woke up this morning and his pad had worked well. He needed to go to the toilet so off he went but took his pyjama pants etc off first. He piddled all the way down the hall and all over the toilet floor.

Then -

He did not wipe his bottom and went back into the bedroom and sat on the bed soiling the sheets. Before I knew it he had wandered out to the lounge and sat on the sofa.

Done the floors and washed the sheets!! It is important for caregivers to ensure that they have the tools to help make these tasks easier.

Frankly he does not appear to understand what he is doing at these times. It is hard as if I try to explain he goes very quiet as he tries so hard not to 'do the wrong thing'.

Today he is at his club. We bought two candles (one in the shape of an 8 and the other a 0) and two cakes (chocolate cream sponge ones) and took them to the club where they will celebrate with him today.

Weekend

Last week I was going through some stuff to donate to a garage sale to raise funds for the Harakeke club. While I was doing that I found a book which I bought when mum was first diagnosed but had never read due to things just happening so quickly after that and then I forgot. It is a quick and easy read and although it was written in 1985 it is quite interesting to see the steps that have been undertaken since then. It was written by a woman in Wellington so is very relevant to those here - something that perhaps all family members should read to give them a better understanding. I found myself agreeing with a lot of what she was saying as it was about 'a daughter's dilemma'.

George was pretty confused all weekend. On Saturday I needed to go to mum at the home. George 'did not feel well' so went back to bed. I usually get the bedding washed and out before I go but that was not possible. I left him his breakfast and morning tea before I went. He had those while I was away.

He asked what had happened to another man he met at memory group and Harakeke club (they had got on really well). I reminded him that he had gone into a home and he wanted to know why and where his wife was. I explained that the wife had died and so he had to live in a home. George couldn't see why - he could stay home without me to care for him!!!! Love it.

Visitor

George has just had an old friend from his school days staying which he really enjoyed. He loves having people to talk to.

In conversations now he can be really slow to say what he wants to. You have to WAIT while he gets it out. Often he is searching for words and you have no idea what he is talking about - very reminiscent of how Mum was.

I have been worried about what we will do for his 80th birthday. That day the Alzheimer's group are going to the movies at the theatre in Sumner so I am taking him there which I hope that he will enjoy.

Life goes on

I haven't posted for a while due to many things happening.

George is sitting reading the paper. I told him this morning that the paper was there at the gate. He got his walking stick and walked outside and then came back. I thought that he had forgotten what he was doing but no

he had forgotten to wear a hat!! He wears a hat ALL the time except when he is asleep - he is the same with gloves. We will be going out and I will have him in the car and then he will get out to go and get his gloves. Unfortunately he is unable to keep any one pair together and so I find them all over the place. For times when I am in a great hurry I keep a pair in the garage!!

Yesterday was one of the days I go to visit my mother. Before I leave I like to get the washing done and out, including changing the bed. Yesterday George slept in so as soon as he got up I stripped the bed to get the linen in the wash (earlier I had done another load of washing - as I do most days). I had already got George's breakfast and pills out ready for him. He came out wearing; one pyjama top, two T shirts, two shirts, one pair of undies, one pair of pyjama pants, two pairs of trousers....

Learn patience when caregiving anyone with this disease.