Neurological conditions

On the News last night they pointed to eleven hundred neurological conditions, none of which have a known cure. Rather frightening. Here they are using boxing classes to help those with Parkinson's disease. One man said that while he didn't expect to live longer he expected to have a better quality of life. It is known that all exercise helps any of these diseases and therefore anything that can help is to be encouraged.

Going round in circles

Sometimes George wakes before me, like this morning. He had pulled all the clothes out of the wardrobe and there were piles in every room of the flat. Guess who had to put them away. He actually has no idea why he does some of these things and often doesn't think he has. When this sort of thing happens (and it does frequently) you are better just to say nothing and clean up after them. You often get the feeling that you are going round in circles.

This morning he was very restless (sundowning in the morning!). So after a shower and a nurse changing his catheter bag I took him out to a shopping mall. It is bitterly cold outside so thought that this would be a good option. We then walked from one end of the mall to the other - good exercise. By then he started to say he was tired. We had a cold drink and then walked back to the other end where I got him a cream freeze ice cream. He enjoyed all that and he seems more settled now.

At the moment our regular caregiver is on annual leave so we are having all sorts coming. Each one you need to explain exactly what to do, have everything ready for them and be on hand to help them. George finds it difficult to cope with a pile of different people in and out.

Luckily this all ends next week.

A good sleep and plenty to eat

George had a good sleep last night and did not wake up until 8.30 this morning which is extremely unusual for him these days. He is having a good day and is very lucid. At the moment he is talking (on FaceTime) to one of his son's in Australia. He loves doing this although he needs to be reminded that he needs to stay in front of the iPad and not move around (I wouldn't dream of letting him carry the iPad around). He has also been wandering up and down the flat today with his walker - it is his exercise he tells me.

I took him down to Brighton while I got a couple of things done and he loves doing this. I have got him 3 milk shakes a lot of biscuits (for morning tea) and two ham rolls for lunch.

Mum was the same - they like what they like and won't eat something if they don't like it but boy can they put it away.

At the moment we have plenty of monarch butterfly caterpillars in the garden and boy can they eat!! The remind me of George and Mum and also a great children's book 'The Very Hungry Caterpillar'.

Exercises

For the next few weeks someone is coming in each week to teach George some exercises and take him for a wee walk. George is now using a walker more and more. He enjoyed the exercise and walk yesterday and even though these were gentle he was pretty tired afterwards.

I find it amazing how both Mum' and George's tastes have changed. George has developed a sweet tooth while Mum will now eat porridge and milk puddings - I never thought I would see her do this!

Walking

George has this new person to take him out once a week, Sabina. They go for a walk on the inland track in the sand hills which is great for him.

So far the onsie is working well which is a blessing at nights.

It is so interesting to see him daily as he is up one day and talking and coherently and then the next day he can be very confused. He loves to have someone to talk to. When my friend was here she sat and chatted to him quite a bit and went through his book of photos with him discussing the different photos. He becomes very animated when he has the attention which of course is something I can't give him all the time.

Catching up

I had a wonderful time when we had a friend to stay for a few days. It is so nice to have someone 'normal' to talk to. We went out quite a bit seeing the impact of the earthquake and having lunches. We also did a bit of shopping. I guess it is like a young mother but usually they have another adult round to speak to while I have no one.

Today was a public holiday. George is quite happy going to sleep or pulling everything out of cupboards! He also expects to be fed regularly...

Today I suggested that he play some quoits. That is something he likes to do. I have also saved cans and bought some balls from the $2 shop so he can play skittles. He won't do these things for long but at least it is something.

The new lady who takes him out on Wednesday afternoons (at 2 pm) is taking him for walks which is great for him. She is German and speaks with a thick accent but is lovely.

I find that I am constantly cleaning up after George - picking things up and putting them away, often the same thing several times. It is very time consuming. He has out about 4 pairs of shoes and 2 pairs of slippers in the lounge at the moment but always puts on two different ones.

Be patient

I find that you have to be very patient when caring for those with Alzheimer's. For example a typical morning today. I had a lot of things I needed to do today. George woke before me this morning,not good. The kitchen bench was a mess. He had tried to get his own breakfast. He had got the sugar bowl which was half full of sugar. He filled it with cornflakes and then filled it with milk, overflowing all over the place!

After getting dressed (with the caregiver) he was ready to go, but no! He changed his shoes,wanted gloves (very hot day), and various other things.  It is impossible to hurry him. He was always incredibly slow but now...

Walking

George had a visit today from the exercise lady who is working with him. He did the exercises with her and then she asked about how often he had been for a walk along the beach. He admitted that he hadn't so she suggested that he needed to. This afternoon he did indeed go for a walk on the inland route in the sand hills so that was great. Admittedly he is now having a snooze but that is OK too. He has been enjoying all the programmes that have been on about the World Wars - ANZAC day tomorrow.

Saw mum in the home today. She just loves to talk one on one to someone. She was quite lethargic but happy enough otherwise. We talked for a couple of hours. She just loves the attention and hates not having it. She is losing language and uses 'yoghurt' for anything and also people are often 'Lucy' although she has started saying 'that lady' and then I have to guess - I am getting extremely good at guessing but it does help that I know who has been in and out and also I know (having lived it) what she is talking about in her earlier life.  Today she looked at a photo of my younger sister and said 'that looks like Jennifer' - her own name and then started stroking the picture.

Birthday lunch

Due to the visitors we were unable to go out for lunch on George's birthday so I took him out yesterday.

I got George to do his exercises but I am going to have to nag over those until he gets into the habit.

We are going to have a look at a day club to see if George would like to go there.

Exercises

A woman from PMH came round and took George through some exercises which he is to do each day. They are all achievable and will help with posture and building strength, the challenge is to make sure he does them.

We have also had the woman round from Health Care who is trying to organise a 'friend' for George. This will be someone who will come and do things with George once a week to ensure that he has other social contact and not just me. We do not know when this will happen but hopefully sometime.

George starts a memory clinic in the first week of April. This is a five week course where they learn strategies to help with the memory loss.

Coffee time

George loves every 3rd Monday of the month as there is an Alzheimer's group coffee time in at the Gardens. He really enjoys it and is with others who have the same problems. I talk to the other caregivers there as well. It takes all afternoon - we got home about 4.30 and it starts at 1, some of this is because of the state our roads are still in. When we got home George said how much he had enjoyed this afternoon.

As I am trying to get tea George is making himself (he had toasted sandwiches while we were out)

• a bowl of cornflakes
• biscuits and cheese
• toast

I am not too sure why but he is certainly eating a lot (and also drinking). If I don't watch him he is likely to pour himself a wine first thing in the morning. He often fills a coffee mug with wine and counts that as one glass.

On Wednesday we have an insurance assessor coming to look at the house (probably take most of the day) plus someone coming to show George some exercises for him to do.