Life has changed dramatically since Mother came to live. My dreams for this stage of life were to work and make the most of the latter years of my working life, spend time with the extended (now adult) family, develop relationships with my increasing numbers of grand-children and have a life that involved more leisure and time for me (autonomously & free of dependents)! Well, all I can say is that has not happened yet...
All the while Mother and I were on a learning curve. We did not know exactly what we were dealing with or what to expect. This meant that to enable me to support her, I needed to become more informed regarding Mother's condition. Liaising with the Ministry of Health NASC assessor, the Clinical Staff (while Mother was in Respite care), along with relevant websites were very helpful for this.
Routine was the first priority when Mother came to live. Establishing a routine met Mother's basic daily needs and kept her safe. It is important for aiding memory, establishing a sense of being cared for, building security, and lessening confusion.
An Agency supplied care-giver support-worker to assist with showering & dressing, give breakfast, and supervise taking morning medication was the most practical assistance I could get that freed me to go to work or have a break if rostered off. At least I could rest assured that Mother would be up, dressed, fed and ready for her day. This was planned to happen in time for Mother to go to Day-care.
Weekly Doctors visits were required and thankfully I found a Doctor for Mother that had a special interest in Dementia. He was involved in establishing our local Alzheimer's Day-care. All Mother's medication required careful review. I knew from my nursing experience that the elderly become very sensitive to medication and often as a result do not require the 'normal' doses they were commenced on years earlier. This was the case with Mother. Some of her symptoms were impacted upon by her sensitivity to medication. Her medication was selectively with-held or decreased, due to her dehydration and low blood-pressure initially and needed to be carefully re-introduced, at reduced doses, as the reasons for needing them were prioritized.
Routine was the first priority when Mother came to live. Establishing a routine met Mother's basic daily needs and kept her safe. It is important for aiding memory, establishing a sense of being cared for, building security, and lessening confusion.
An Agency supplied care-giver support-worker to assist with showering & dressing, give breakfast, and supervise taking morning medication was the most practical assistance I could get that freed me to go to work or have a break if rostered off. At least I could rest assured that Mother would be up, dressed, fed and ready for her day. This was planned to happen in time for Mother to go to Day-care.
Weekly Doctors visits were required and thankfully I found a Doctor for Mother that had a special interest in Dementia. He was involved in establishing our local Alzheimer's Day-care. All Mother's medication required careful review. I knew from my nursing experience that the elderly become very sensitive to medication and often as a result do not require the 'normal' doses they were commenced on years earlier. This was the case with Mother. Some of her symptoms were impacted upon by her sensitivity to medication. Her medication was selectively with-held or decreased, due to her dehydration and low blood-pressure initially and needed to be carefully re-introduced, at reduced doses, as the reasons for needing them were prioritized.
I was through Mother's Doctor, that we were introduced to Alzheimer's Day-care. What a lovely supportive place. Mother and I had explored other interest groups that Mother could go to, but she was very reluctant. Absolutely refusing them to be truthful. I now realize that the people attending these groups often did not have the same struggles or understanding of what a Dementia sufferer had to deal with. The Alzheimer's Day-care, in contrast, made it immediately safe and relaxing for Mother, with no pressure or expectations put on her (to remember names for example). It was a haven to socialize with others, have therapy and feel supported, not alone in their often similar daily fluctuating struggles. Mother loves going and it has become a 'family' to her.
That was the basic plan of adjusting to a life of being responsible for Mother.
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