We have had a busy week and I have also been working a few hours each day. This can be difficult as George tends to get out a lot of things and then I have to put them away.
He took his new medal (that his son got him) to the Harakeke club to show the other people there. I am pleased to say that it came home again. A girl from the university is working with George as part of her university course and she is in the middle of making him a memories book so I am looking forward to seeing that when she is finished.
George has someone come to take him out for an outing each week. He loves doing that and this week they went to the museum and then for coffee. He loves going out for coffee and for meals. I also took him to a cafe for lunch - one of the Grab a Deal ones. It was very nice.
He does keep going up to our old house to get things (we are now in a small flat!!) which means that it is getting very crowded here. Also he has no idea of what is his and what is mine. Several times I have found him in my jerseys, and once he was trying to pull on some of my jeans!! All miles too small for him.
Thursday, September 27, 2012
Saturday, September 22, 2012
Wonderful weekend
George has had a wonderful weekend. His youngest son and partner came down from Auckland for the weekend and George had not seen him for nearly two years. The last time he was here was just after the February earthquake.
They picked George up about 2 pm yesterday and went for a drive to the Hilltop which is on the way to Akaroa. They stopped there for some food and then came home. Today we met them in Brighton for a lazy coffee or two. When we got home I asked George about his weekend - he was still very excited about it all. One good thing is that he can ask about things that his sons may like at this point so that they can take things they treasure. The two of them went through a lot of photos which George loves doing. He really loves his contact with his family and it is great that he is still at the stage where he is able to as you can never tell how long this will last. Family members who do not maintain contact at this stage may find out too late that they could have had a meanful relationship for some time.
They picked George up about 2 pm yesterday and went for a drive to the Hilltop which is on the way to Akaroa. They stopped there for some food and then came home. Today we met them in Brighton for a lazy coffee or two. When we got home I asked George about his weekend - he was still very excited about it all. One good thing is that he can ask about things that his sons may like at this point so that they can take things they treasure. The two of them went through a lot of photos which George loves doing. He really loves his contact with his family and it is great that he is still at the stage where he is able to as you can never tell how long this will last. Family members who do not maintain contact at this stage may find out too late that they could have had a meanful relationship for some time.
Thursday, September 20, 2012
Banking
The staff at the bank told me that George went in recently with a pile of $5 notes in each hand.
He went to the counter and kept looking at his hands and said "45". They asked what he wanted and he repeated "45".
The lady took the money from George put it into one pile and then handed it back to him. George then left the bank quite happy.
It is all the perception
George went to his Harakeke club this week. When he came home he mentioned that one of the other men who goes had said that some days he knows he is more confused than others and he does not feel as 'sharp'. I asked George if he ever felt that he was confused at times - "no" he said. He does not think he is confused about anything but neither does Mum. They both think that everyone else is confused.
Saturday, September 15, 2012
A week
It is over a week since I have posted on this blog - busy, busy, busy...
George is still putting the water in the coffee jar rather than the cup - not all the time but about 1 in 10!! I therefore try to be there when he is making coffee. It really is quite an expensive trick. I want him to remain as independant as possible for as long as possible. To get around this I just keep a small amount of coffee in a jar and put more in as this gets finished rather than a whole jar going out..
I took George out for dinner one night last week. He loves going out for dinner but this can get quite expensive. What I have found is that I get 'Grab a Deal' vouchers. The dinner this week cost $31 for a voucher for two meals. Had we been paying the normal price it would cost twice as much.
I do find it difficult to get George to wear the appropriate clothes. He will come to bed (if I am asleep) in trousers, singlet, shirt and then pyjamas over the top of all that!!
George is still putting the water in the coffee jar rather than the cup - not all the time but about 1 in 10!! I therefore try to be there when he is making coffee. It really is quite an expensive trick. I want him to remain as independant as possible for as long as possible. To get around this I just keep a small amount of coffee in a jar and put more in as this gets finished rather than a whole jar going out..
I took George out for dinner one night last week. He loves going out for dinner but this can get quite expensive. What I have found is that I get 'Grab a Deal' vouchers. The dinner this week cost $31 for a voucher for two meals. Had we been paying the normal price it would cost twice as much.
I do find it difficult to get George to wear the appropriate clothes. He will come to bed (if I am asleep) in trousers, singlet, shirt and then pyjamas over the top of all that!!
Saturday, September 8, 2012
Remembering
Something I find really difficult is remembering how someone with Alzheimer's WAS. I think that is because with both George and Mum I am seeing them constantly so I only see them as they are now even though we look at photos. I really noticed this as I went to the West Coast for two nights. As I was driving around I found it so much easier to remember different times and things I did with both of them. As a carer I need that distance sometimes.
Monday, August 20, 2012
Bad day
This morning George had breakfast and then was sitting in the lounge. He went to the toilet but didn't make it in time so had it all over the floor as well as soiling his clothes. Luckily the caregiver was coming in to give him a shower.
He had a lovely day and Julie came to take him out this afternoon. It has been raining all day so it was nice for him to go out and have a cup of coffee.
After tea George went to the toilet again and once again didn't get there in time. This time however it was not over the floor but in his clothes. I have suggested to him that half an hour after a meal he goes and sits on the toilet for a while to see if he can go. He is obviously leaving it too long before he goes.
He had a lovely day and Julie came to take him out this afternoon. It has been raining all day so it was nice for him to go out and have a cup of coffee.
After tea George went to the toilet again and once again didn't get there in time. This time however it was not over the floor but in his clothes. I have suggested to him that half an hour after a meal he goes and sits on the toilet for a while to see if he can go. He is obviously leaving it too long before he goes.
Saturday, August 18, 2012
Rugby
The match between Australia and New Zealand was televised last night at 11.30 so George stayed up to watch it. He loves the rugby and so it is great that he still has the concentration to watch a whole game.
He got himself a snack - left jars with lids off on the bench. I think he enjoyed it and it is now 10.30 a.m. and he is still asleep!!
I am pleased that he is getting the sleep he requires.
He got himself a snack - left jars with lids off on the bench. I think he enjoyed it and it is now 10.30 a.m. and he is still asleep!!
I am pleased that he is getting the sleep he requires.
Thursday, August 16, 2012
Going out
I had to meet a student at 12 midday yesterday. George had Julie, a carer, coming to take him out at 1.00 p.m. Before I left I went over this with him several times and also put it on the whiteboard.
I got home at 1.30 p.m. to find George had gone - I thought with Julie. A couple of minutes later Julie arrived. She had been in earlier and found no one home so had come back. We had a cup of coffee while we waited. I had to assume that he had taken himself down to Brighton but was not sure.
He arrived home at 3.30 - he had been to Brighton. He told me he waited until 1.30 and Julie hadn't arrived so he went to Brighton. He has no idea of time - Julie came before this time and I got home at 1.30.
This is a real worry as I am not too sure where he is. If he continues to do this sort of thing it is going to be increasingly difficult to leave him on his own.
I got home at 1.30 p.m. to find George had gone - I thought with Julie. A couple of minutes later Julie arrived. She had been in earlier and found no one home so had come back. We had a cup of coffee while we waited. I had to assume that he had taken himself down to Brighton but was not sure.
He arrived home at 3.30 - he had been to Brighton. He told me he waited until 1.30 and Julie hadn't arrived so he went to Brighton. He has no idea of time - Julie came before this time and I got home at 1.30.
This is a real worry as I am not too sure where he is. If he continues to do this sort of thing it is going to be increasingly difficult to leave him on his own.
Monday, August 13, 2012
Take their time
I rang EQC (these people deal with damage caused by the earthquakes) last Thursday (today is Tuesday). They told me that someone would contact me within 72 hours - they didn't tell me that weekends didn't count - the pipes don't know that bit!! Yesterday I also rang the council and they were not hopeful that anything would be done for a while as now we have flooding in Christchurch - just what I need!!
George is off to his club today and at the moment is going out and and coming back in - looking for the person who comes to help him in the mornings. He is not due for another half an hour.
George has a great deal of problems knowing what day of the week it is. I write it on the whiteboard for him every day but he looks at it as if I have got it wrong. This morning he was watching TV and then came in to me very excited - he told me that one of the announcers was like him as he had got the day wrong too (Tamati; George reckons he said Wednesday instead of Tuesday - I was not watching so can't comment.
George is off to his club today and at the moment is going out and and coming back in - looking for the person who comes to help him in the mornings. He is not due for another half an hour.
George has a great deal of problems knowing what day of the week it is. I write it on the whiteboard for him every day but he looks at it as if I have got it wrong. This morning he was watching TV and then came in to me very excited - he told me that one of the announcers was like him as he had got the day wrong too (Tamati; George reckons he said Wednesday instead of Tuesday - I was not watching so can't comment.
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