Independence

I try desparately hard to try to keep George as independent as possible. Today I took him to the bank where the girls are really good with him. We have discussed this as George has no idea of money so they don't give him too much at any time. We then went to the Super Market where he wanted to buy some things (including wine). He was away for a very long time and left his walking stick inside there (I went back to get it).  I asked him how things went and he said

"bewildered'

I asked why. He couldn't find what he wanted on the shelves (He was not too sure what he wanted) and thought that they had rearranged the shelves.

It takes a lot of patience...

Alcohol

George was told by the hospital and later by our doctor that the red wine he was drinking would make his condition worse. He stopped drinking red wine but has replaced it with white wine and spirits. He keeps it in the garage and pours it into coffee mugs so I won't know. We had a guest staying recently who did the same thing. Luckily George does not get verbally of physically abusive with alcohol and in fact it is very rare to see him drunk - he holds his liquor well in that respect. Not so good for him medically however.  Something however that does happen (as it did just now) is that he has more problems than usual going to the toilet necessitating me to clean the floor again.

Changing clothes

Something that George has been doing for a while now is changing his clothes several times during the day causing a lot of washing. One of his caregivers suggested to me that I take a lot of clothes out of the bedroom so he doesn't have the selection and may not do it so much and also that way we know what is clean as the clean clothes are away and just bringing out as they are needed. Good idea...


This morning I went to Sumner for a quick cup of coffee with my son (who was down from Auckland). When I left George was in bed. I returned an hour later to find George ready to take himself to Brighton. He was wearing his pyjama pants and had also put a jersey over this pyjama top.

Toileting issues

I am finding it difficult to get George to get used to wearing the pads. One morning I found that, during the night he had got up and gone out to the lounge where he had taken the pad off and left it on the sofa. It is ensuring that he doesn't do this sort of thing. He is still inclined to take them off and then piddle on the toilet floor. I have to clean the toilet floor every morning. At least I have stopped him going in the bathroom which he has done. It is things like this (which have been going on for the last 2 years) which make me so reticent to take him away. At least by putting him into a home while I am away is sensible as they are geared up to cope with it.

We were supposed to go to Memory Clinic today (which he enjoys) but it was cancelled due to the awful weather here at the moment. Many parts of Christchurch have had snow although luckily we haven't; however it has been bitterly cold.

Good old George! The night before last we got his diapers on (under PJs) ready for bed. In the middle of the night he woke wanting to go to the toilet. What does he do???

He takes of the diaper and his PJs and wanders down the hall to the toilet piddling all the way - big mess for me to clean up in the morning.

People suggest that the two of us go away for a weekend etc - this is one of the reasons I am very reticent to do so (this is not the first time!!) as I would worry all the time.  Of course the other reason is financial.

Harakeke Club

George goes to a club each Tuesday. It is for people with Alzheimers and has a big waiting list so he was very lucky to get in. He really enjoys it and spends a lot of time chatting to the other people there.

I have picked up his incontinence pads which will be a help. These are very expensive to buy and I was really grateful to George's caregiver (who helps him with showering) for telling me to get on to the doctor to refer him to the clinic. This way you get (free) a monthly amount.

I was talking to someone today about how life changes so quickly without any warning. Two and a half years ago a round of voluntary redundancies was offered. I decided to take this so that I could look after mum and she could stay at home. I worked out my finances and decided that, with care, I could just afford to do this. I had a freehold home and knew that, so long as I did not splurge out we could do this. Now we are in situation, due to the earthquake, of paying rent and as well as a lot of other unforseen expenses. Of course also mum's Alzheimer's progressed to a point where it was longer possible to keep her at home. I think of the things I had planned to do when I retired and cannot see any of these things happening in the near future; if ever. I guess things will work out in the end but it is not easy when you are on your own and overseeing two people with Alzheimer's. Sometimes I think that most of my life is tied up with doing things related to this disease.

Incontinence clinic

We went to the incontinence clinic last week and George has been given pads for daytime and pants for night time.  I go and pick them up in town each month.

This weekend I spent a couple of days in Auckland with family which was a welcome break. George went into the home for a few days.

Sometimes I find it difficult to juggle all the things I need to do for mum and George for example the Home just rang me and Mum has to be at the hospital at 8 a.m. in the morning and they wondered if I wanted to take her in!! I have to get George to his club that morning at 10 so I am unable to be in two places at once. The home are going to send a staff member with her.

Incontinence

I am taking George to the incontinence clinic this week to see if we can get help with the cost of the adult diapers that he needs to wear every night. The cost soon adds up and with all the other expenses it is not easy. I am now needing to clean the toilet floor every morning - he has both bladder and bowel problems now.

On a positive side, mum was pretty lucid while I was with her yesterday and knew me - said my name as soon as I arrived - this is a real improvement. She is using a big walking frame and is managing quite well with help from staff.

Isn't ironic that with looking after both mum and George there will be no one to look after me.

Language

Poor George, it is interesting how he is losing language especially as this was so important to him. Luckily he does not get too frustrated yet but he can spend ages trying to find the words he wants.

He has always been slow but he is becoming slower.

One of the people he has always got along with is Jim. I always thought that Jim was higher functioning than George but last Friday we were at memory group and so were Jim and his wife. I was talking to his wife who was in a real state. Her doctor, PMH, the people at Alzheimer's and their family have all told her it is time to get him into a home. Her health is suffering with the stress caused by looking after someone with Alzheimer's and he can become aggressive. Luckily, at this point, George is not aggressive.

It has been a very stressful month for me however as Mum had a fall and broke her hip ending up in hospital. Both of my sisters came over for a week each to visit mum daily while they were here. What with one thing and another I am feeling rather exhausted and under the weather. Oh to be able to spend a day in bed trying to get over this flu I seem to have got; I am doing the lemon drinks and going to bed early.

Where am I going?

Last night George woke up in the middle of the night. I suggested he might need to go to the toilet so off he went. On his return he sat on the side of the bed. I told him it was the middle of the night and to come back into bed. He told me he needed to tell me where he was going first. Of course I asked where he was going.

'To England'.

'To England' I replied.

'Yes' said George. 'I need to get a taxi'.

I told him that there were no taxis as it was the middle of the night and he got back into bed and back to sleep.

This morning he said he was off to England.

Quickly I told him what was happening today and got him off the England idea. Originally I thought that it was him having dream but maybe not!!