When I walk on the floor at work every morning, people look at me receptively but without recognition, like, "You seem friendly... who are you?"
It's like stepping into the film Groundhog Day, in which Bill Murray's character has to relive the same day over and over and over again (except I'm there by choice and I could leave).
It's a little odd to start at the very beginning every single time.
Truly, if you have Alzheimer's every day is the first day of the rest of your life. Sometimes, every minute is.
I relate to the Bill Murray character when he tries too hard at first to make things go "right", the way he wants them to.
At first I tried to make every Activity a vaudeville act. I didn't let things unfold on their own.
After 2.5 months, I've calmed down... Sometimes I let the residents be, on their own or with each other, and it turns out I'm getting done some things that needed doing. This afternoon I sat at the sewing machine while the residents watched Oklahoma and finally finished sewing up a few more hot pads, with fabric the residents cut:
Blogger Crow sent some of this fabric ^ to us as a gift, and all the fleece filling sheets inside too! (Bless you, Crow.)
I had thought the residents could give these hot pads to family & friends for Christmas, but only about a third of the women regularly participate, and I don't want to create ill will by unintentionally leaving someone out. I can imagine two families sharing an elevator and one having a hot pad and the other not...
Today I decided that it would be logistically easier and in some ways nicer if we give a hot pad to each of the dozen nursing assistants instead. Godknows they deserve heaps of thanks and praise.
Aaaand... another entry in the Famous Person Bitten by Animal Co-star category, from here (Lady Gaga bitten by a slow loris a few posts back).
It's like stepping into the film Groundhog Day, in which Bill Murray's character has to relive the same day over and over and over again (except I'm there by choice and I could leave).
It's a little odd to start at the very beginning every single time.
Truly, if you have Alzheimer's every day is the first day of the rest of your life. Sometimes, every minute is.
I relate to the Bill Murray character when he tries too hard at first to make things go "right", the way he wants them to.
At first I tried to make every Activity a vaudeville act. I didn't let things unfold on their own.
After 2.5 months, I've calmed down... Sometimes I let the residents be, on their own or with each other, and it turns out I'm getting done some things that needed doing. This afternoon I sat at the sewing machine while the residents watched Oklahoma and finally finished sewing up a few more hot pads, with fabric the residents cut:
I had thought the residents could give these hot pads to family & friends for Christmas, but only about a third of the women regularly participate, and I don't want to create ill will by unintentionally leaving someone out. I can imagine two families sharing an elevator and one having a hot pad and the other not...
Today I decided that it would be logistically easier and in some ways nicer if we give a hot pad to each of the dozen nursing assistants instead. Godknows they deserve heaps of thanks and praise.
Aaaand... another entry in the Famous Person Bitten by Animal Co-star category, from here (Lady Gaga bitten by a slow loris a few posts back).
P.S. This is blog #200 in 2014. How 'bout that? It's #1,748 overall.
Every day, new friends!
ReplyDeleteI like the comparison with Groundhog Day. There is a lot of confluence with Buddhist thought in that film.
Sweet of you to think of the aides, I'm sure they'll appreciate it.
if I walk in the activity room at my mothers alzheimers home, some people recognise me( i'm slightly excentric) but it always srikes me with love if i meet the eyes of the people who are far far away
ReplyDeletethey begin to sparkle
my mother doesn't want me to mingle cause she wants me totally.
love to read your blogs about your work
love you!