Sue and I had a care conference on Mom on Wednesday, July 9, and made 2 big decisions: 1) we are taking Mom off of hospice and putting her on rehab so she will get some physical therapy. Couldnt get the therapy while being on hospice and couldnt even check it out to see if she will respond to therapy without the change, so we did it. Can go back on hospice if rehab doesnt work out. 2) we are moving her to a different neighborhood in SMCC--memory care. Everything is the same--including the cost--but in memory care, everyone has some sort of cognitive difficulty. The rooms are the same, the halls are quieter, and there is more organized activity. This is to help the folks keep occupied, use up some energy and forestall restlessness which has been becoming a problem in the afternoons for Mom. I think there is at least one activity every morning and two every afternoon. The social director had a long interview with me today—right after we moved her—and is confident and optimistic that Mom will make progress and get involved in things. She said women adjust more easily than men because women have been adjusting all their lives, and that Mom’s natural inclination to be social will help her out here. We are once again grateful for the care center and its staff. When I told some members of her current staff that we were moving her, they got almost teary—and then said, “This is right for Eldora, but we will miss her. She is so sweet!” The move was so organized and simple—they brought her in at mealtime, so she could immediately get involved with the folks--and the staff plans to “plant” Mom next to a real “chatty” individual, assuming that will be good stimulation for her. At this point Mom still doesnt know us although there are moments when we know she knows she is talking with someone familiar. A former care center chaplain told me that since she talks with the same gestures and inflection that she used to when she talks to us, probably inside, she feels she is communicating. Outside, it just doesnt happen for us. (Here is where the social director, who has many years of experience with cognitively disordered individuals, said that one can converse with these folks, but one has to learn how to listen and pick out the important words in their conversation. Hmm!) For any of you who might visit, she is in Room 817 (Sue’s birthday!) in the University neighborhood. We thank you again and still for your prayers and support, and look forward to whatever changes this new regimen will bring. August 1 will be day 100 for the woman who was probably only going to live a few hours on April 23! Praise the Lord! Shirley with Sue Jahn and Sarah Jahn and Stephanie Jahn
Posted on: Fri, 11 Jul 2014 00:24:50 +0000
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