CAREGIVER NOTE:
More lucid dreams – and not recognizing where he was for a while. He searched through the drawers of the dresser looking for his clothes. He couldn’t place what was in the drawers as being his. Grateful he was a bit calmer than our last episode. He was able to go back to bed after some reassurance that he was in our home, that he was in his room with his clothes and other things.
CAREGIVER NOTE:
Finding 3 positives was easy overnight. He named them quickly — no bad dreams, the shadows in the room didn’t scare him (and there were lots as the security lights were triggered frequently last night) and he was happy he had someone checking on him when they heard he was up. Earlier in the day he was excited about the progress being made on the handicap accessible deck — which he should be able to enjoy sitting on tomorrow while we still have some warm weather in the afternoon and early evening. He even switched on his table light to help me with a little more light while I applied the water shield to the decking joists last evening.
Name them one by one.
CAREGIVER NOTE:
Yesterday was difficult. The vivid dream was very real to him. We had to go outside in the dark to ensure that all was safe and no one was in danger. It took several hours for him to put the pieces to together and he was scared that he was really losing it. He’s realizing that things aren’t working as they should and he can’t process things as he thinks he should be able to do. It’s SCARY – both for him and for us.
CAREGIVER NOTE:
We’re up early again (3:30 am). He couldn’t remember why he needed to get up and turn on the light… but couldn’t find the light switch and got turned around in his room. He is tucked back in bed for the moment, but there are lights on everywhere and he doesn’t want them turned off. So I guess we’ll add a glow in the dark switch plate this week and see if that will help or if it’s not helpful, we’ll work at finding another solution that will support his need for light at night in his room. He doesn’t like a night light in his room — I find it turned off, or he’s hidden it in a drawer or under the bed some times. I’ve tried a lamp, but that seems to cause too many shadows and attracts the “visitors” to his room. Maybe the switch plate will be the answer. Fingers crossed.
Still trying to find some activities he would like to do — but not finding anything he wants to do or that holds his interest other than watching the news at the moment. He hasn’t wanted to go out — not even to get a haircut or a shave. His weekend outings are becoming a thing of the past and he doesn’t want to venture out the door much even to take a walk. I’m at a loss most days… Hoping to find something he would like to do and soon. Maybe he’ll join his great-grands and decorate a few Halloween cookies with them or enjoy some conversation with this grands… it’s family dinner at our house tonight.
goes a long way.
image credit: Diana Hadley.
Greatitudes 