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.
CAREGIVER NOTE:
The dreams he’s having lately are pretty vivid. He’s getting more and more frustrated, even angry, when we can’t follow through on a phone call or visit (the person is deceased) that he feels needs to be made regardless of the time or we don’t have an answer that satisfies his “need to know” in the moment. Saying “I don’t know,” isn’t’ what he wants to hear.
Hoping for a better day today.
to your heart.
CAREGIVER NOTE:
He decided to take a walk yesterday. He was very disoriented by the time he got to the neighbor’s driveway about 20 yards away. He says he doesn’t need to use the walker — it’s better for his hip. Umm, not quite the truth… but he did agree he can’t leave without the walker in the future and he can’t go unaccompanied. He’s not particularly happy about the latter. We did have a good talk afterwards when he was back in the house and looking out the back window.
The deck build is in full swing. We poured the concrete for the footings yesterday and we have one more area to pour for the stairs. We’re supposed to have a couple of days of rain this week, so we’ll have to wait for the weekend, to take the next steps. I didn’t take pictures while they mixed and filled the tubes, but did a picture of the finished project for the day. FOREVER grateful for the help — every single ounce of energy spent in helping us get this done.
lighting the path to a better world.
Greatitudes 