CAREGIVER NOTE:

Still not wanting to try something “new.” We’d talked about doing a few different things, made a few plans, gathered the materials and made time in the day — but when it comes down to doing it, he’s not ready to try it. We’ll keep looking for that opening. Maybe this week….

… throughout every season.

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.

lighting the path to a better world.

CAREGIVER NOTE:
As we were watching TV yesterday, a choir began singing. He recognized the music, the song within the first few notes and begin humming along. After the song ended, he stopped, but then picked up with an old sing-song rhyme from days gone by and added a few new words with a different tune… He had us all laughing – when he said, “That wasn’t quite right, was it?”

CAREGIVER NOTE:

His face lit up last evening when dinner was placed in front of him. It’s not too often we hit a local fast food joint for a burger and fries (his choice)… there were even enough pickles on the burger to keep him happy. Two bites of the burger and about 6 fries and he was satisfied and done. Some nights he eats really well and others — well, it’s a bite or two and he’s good. Last evening, it was the later while the night before he filled his plate and ate everything he’d put on it.

Conversations down memory lane — a few things are still bothering him about a couple of his uncles that he was very close to while growing up. We looked a few things up late last night during our chat – found a few things he’d like to check out and correct if possible and today, if he wants, we’ll open the book on that side of the family and see what treasures we can find in there.

– let your heart be open.