Coping when its tough

Try to keep things like dr’s visits on paper @outlander. Sit down with him ahead of the appointment and talk about it, taking simple notes about what is to be asked, and leaving space for answers to be written in by the dr underneath, or by your Pop in the appointment as the dr answers them. Sit down for a de-brief when he gets home, when he is more likely to remember anything unclear better than later in the evening or the next day.

Use this method for shopping lists, household tasks, and other appointments ..... preparation meeting (without distractions like tv, phone, friends dropping in etc) and de-brief afterwards without distractions, although a drink of water first is a good idea ..... hydration ❣️

Mentioning things casually the day before might help too ..... so it’s been gone over three or four times in different ways, because repetition aids memory too.

Buy or make him a lanyard to wear around his neck to keep his keys on, and use one yourself while you’re at home so he doesn’t feel like it’s only for him. If other members of the family m show interest in them, buy or make one for them too, so it becomes a bit of a family culture, if you can. Insist that the lanyard doesn’t have to be taken off for the keys to be used. That’s the whole purpose for it.

If you want him to do the dishes, run hot soapy water into the sink and put them in there o soak for ten minutes, without saying anything about it until then, then as you leave the room, ask him to run the dish brush over them, rinse (if you do) and put them in the draining basket. It means he is doing the “real” work, but the hot soapy water has done the real work of making sure the food is lifted off.

It will take a bit of thinking about, but at his age it will mean finding stop-gap measures to keep things running smoothly with less stress for both of you.

Keep asking for specific help like this here too. I am sure there are others who can help you as you go along too.

Stop-gap means filling in the gap @outlander, like filling in a crack between a wall and a door frame with a filler. My D2, having a disability, means I have to check and recheck what she is doing, and you can think she’s got something under control because she has been doing it well and in a system or routine for ages, and then for some reason she changes it in a way that causes problems. The stop-gap measure is to just fix up what has gone wrong in the moment, but the proper fix-it is to find out what caused her to make a change to something that was working for her that now isn’t, and go through re-setting the appropriate behaviour.

You’re gonna have to be fixing things up around your Pop more and more in the ways you already are, with the spare key, and the “this side up” tags etc.

Whenever you’re stuck for ideas, ask here and we will all help you problem solve as you go Hon.

Part of my hubby’s wonkiness has been short term memory issues, but he is masking it fairly well. One of his stop-gap measures was to buy three of the things that he often misplaced, being keys. wallet and sunglasses (and glasses) .....and he has done it with a lot of other things in the house as well ..... so when he can’t find what he has done with one, he pulls out another one, and puts the spare back away when he finds the lost one again. He’s doing that for himself, but you are the one doing it for your Pop.

Hi @outlander

I have read all of this thread and understand - I never had the care of my parents or grandparents but I do remember when my Dad had lost his short term memory and his vision it was tough - because I didn't have to care for him when I did see him I reminded him of things in his past that he remembered clearly and he enjoyed this though other members of the family wanted me to stop - I let Dad know I loved him and didn't focus on his disabilities -

So I can't really help you with what you have written about how difficult it is with your Pop - it seems you are doing a fantastic job and just need some support - I can do that - @Faith-and-Hope has given you some really good ideas and it will make a difference to your life and your Pop's life if you can keep things going and he still feels useful even if you do have to wash the dishes again

I did have the care of my son though - I could not continue when he started adolescence and had to go into foster care but he was always part of my life and it was a terrible strain and I understand what strain can do to us when someone we love becomes unpredictable and we can't imagine what they will do next and yet go ahead and do the unexpected which causes trouble and grief - I really understand that

Of course you don't want to give up on him - and I can tell you won't - you need some support and your mother and aunt laughing about it doesn't help you at all - does it?

It's really difficult for us when someone we love loses the plot - you need someone who cares and the forum will - I will - not a lot I can add about an elderly person but with someone you love - yes - I can

Sending my best thoughts

Dec

You are right @outlander

Seeing someone you love going downhill when they have lost the plot is really hard - I guess it doesn't matter who it is or even how much filial envolvement we have it is still painful and also - I think - we feel it so much but your Pop - is he aware? - which is not for you to answer - about how emotional and mental fragile he is?

I remember my Gran - I was a teenager and she started to lean over and eat out of my plate and I refused to sit next to her and my brother had to - and she hated the TV and sat with her back to it - and I could go on - and like your Pop she forgot what she had just said and repeated herself and it was so awkward we never brought friends home

It wasn't my responsibility - my mother had that load - but it was often scary and I know I need not go into any more details but I think - for you - being so young - you are working uphill learning about this side of life early and you love your Pop and want people to understand how it is for you - and then your Mum and your aunty laugh about it.

To other people it can be - it is - funny. But for you it's not - it's serious - it's your work and at your age I know you are missing out on things young people usually do and this has a negative affect now

But it won't always - time does change things - I know other people your age seem shallow to you - and I think that is normal - you have skipped a large part of what might be a more normal life for someone your age but you are a valuable person who is adding a lot to life. You have an important job and I think you are pretty lonely doing it

I see you are writing in the Carers' Forum here and I hope you are finding support there - but it would be great if you had a group locally - other people who are in caring roles. It would be hard for you to get to them I assume - with total care of your Pop who seems worse than he was a year or more back

Are you still able to do your horse wrangling? I haven't been in the forums much over the summer and sticking to just a few - I am okay in the summer - it's getting wintery and this time of year begins the hard yards of my life so I will be around more

I will try and keep up with your stories - it might be really hard to live them but they are interesting - reading how other people manage their lives under some kind of duress is worth writing about

Dec

@outlander my sister , how are you going xoxo