CAREGIVER NOTES:

He noticed the calendar date on his clock yesterday — he realized his birthday is close. He asked how old he would be and kind of shut down. He as been a little more depressed the last few days — but I was linking that to his reminiscing and wanting to talk to family members who had already passed on. I invite him to share a story or memory with me and that often cheers him up. We’ve talked about his Mom’s garden quite a bit lately — he has lots of fond memories of seeing her work in the garden and helping there. That’s probably where he gained his “green” thumb and started building his own skills for his 1/4 acre garden we remember. Our kids remember shelling peas and snapping beans on the living room floor; helping to dig potatoes and pulling weeds.

We’re hoping that his upcoming birthday bash will bring him some joy.