After more than a year of testing and observation, the official diagnosis has been made – my 84 year-old father-in-law has Altzheimer’s Disease. Spouse and I have renewed our decision from a few years ago, when we suspected dementia was in play, to do what we can to keep him at home for as long as this is physically practical. And so our journey begins.
When we came home from the meeting with dad’s gerontologist and psychologist, my knee-jerk reaction was to go into the garden shed and remove all the weed killers, bug killers, fertilizers and cleaners. We need to start thinking of dad as a precocious 4 yr-old and literally child-proof the house and yards. Anything toxic he might spill on his hands and then put in his mouth needs to be discarded. Sharp objects need to be put out of reach. Dad’s power-saw laden workshop will be a child-proofing task of nightmarish proportions. For now, we’ll just lock it up and have a good think.
Lots of changes, (some easy, some not), will need to be made in order for us to keep dad at home, safe, comfortable and well-fed. I’ve enrolled in some online courses in carer education. We’ll get there.
In the meantime, (albeit admittedly, I’m probably the last person on the planet to discover this guy), I offer you a drummer. Not just any drummer, but Steve Moore - The Mad Drummer. One of my girls linked him to my FB page. (To cheer me up, I think – in my youth I was always a sucker for a good drummer!) Anyway, I followed the links, watched and listened and was struck with how efficiently music washes over a person’s mind and soul, magically making everything ‘all better’.
It’s just like when you were sickies and mom leaned over to kiss you on the forehead. Only this guy’s way hotter. Enjoy -
Follow the toilet-seat -
I’ve been following about a half-dozen stories in the news and will be posting again soon. Sarah thinks she’s Shakespeare? hahahahahahahahahahaha!
To comment on this post please scroll up to the title “Where Would We Be Without Music…” and click on the word comments just beneath. Thanks, OzMud
July 19, 2010 at 10:19 pm
We kept my step-father home for the eight years of his trip through dementia. While it was very difficult much of the time, it was the best decision we ever made. He was much more at ease and happy in a familiar environment. We briefly tried to keep him in a rest home. He went in on two medications and came out on seven. He was reduced to a stupor to be able to control him. He kept saying, “Go home now.” After a month, we brought him home and opted for more in home care to help my mom with the work load. I think you are making the best decision. My mom found a wonderful woman who helped feed and care for my step-dad while providing friendship for my mom. They worked out a cash payment system that was cheaper than going through the home health agency and yet gave the care-giver more income than she would have received if she had continued to be employed by the home health agency. It was a sometimes funny and often sad journey, but well worth the time and effort in the end.