Marjorie was exhausted! Her mother, Ruth, had been restless and anxious ever since her dementia day group had been canceled due to the pandemic.
Ruth had been having trouble sleeping – which meant that Marjorie was having trouble sleeping, too. Ruth was often knocking on her bedroom door at night, waking her up with an anxious question or telling her it was time to get up.
Marjorie understood this was a tough time for Ruth, and she tried her best to be patient. But, this was a tough time for Marjorie, too. She was struggling to adapt to working from home. Some days were okay, but others were just too much. Marjorie realized she needed to set things up differently – she just didn’t know how to do it.
She talked about the situation with a friend, Meredith, a social worker who frequently dealt with dementia. Meredith suggested Ruth and Marjorie try out senior care. Marjorie immediately dismissed the idea. “Mom doesn’t need a caregiver,” Marjorie said. “She can get dressed and showered and everything on her own.”
“Senior care aides can help with personal care, like dressing, showering, and incontinence care,” Meredith explained, “But they can do more than that.
They can offer companionship, and help your mom get engaged in some activities she finds meaningful. That might help her feel happier, less anxious, and sleep better at night. I’ve seen it help many of my clients.”
Marjorie was intrigued. “What do you mean by ‘activities she finds meaningful’?” she asked.
“Well,” Meredith replied, “What is important to your mom? What makes her life worth living? What does she value?”
The questions stumped Marjorie for a moment. Slowly she replied, “I’m not sure, anymore. Her day program was a big deal for her. Just having somewhere to be, I guess. She liked seeing the other people. Other than that, I don’t know what to say. So much of what used to matter to her isn’t an option anymore.”
“Like what?” Meredith pressed.
“Well, I remember when I was young she was always busy cooking and cleaning. Just taking care of my dad and me, I guess. She would sew my clothes. She was always busy in the garden. And church! It was always important for her to go to church. But when my dad died, and she moved out here with me, she never really felt up to finding a new church.”
Meredith smiled. “Senior care can help her with pretty much all of those things! They can spend time with her, help her cook, and clean. They can take her to church, and help her get out in the garden. You know, research shows that people with dementia feel much better when they are regularly engaged in activities they find meaningful. I bet if you ask them to come in for a few hours each morning, you’ll notice a big difference in how your mom feels within a week or two.”
“Well,” Marjorie smiled. She was getting excited about the idea of senior care. “Let’s find out!”
Marjorie called the senior care agency and explained their situation. The next day, a friendly young woman came to the house and introduced herself to Ruth. Immediately, they got along great.
A couple of weeks later, Marjorie called Meredith. “You were right! I can hardly believe the change in Mom! She is so much more settled, calm, and happy. She’s sleeping better too! She feels so good about being able to help cook and clean again. And she loves attending church! Thank you so much for your suggestion!”
If you or an aging loved-one are considering hiring Homecare in San Francisco, CA, contact the friendly staff at Home Care Professionals today.
Call (866)-940-4855
Sources
https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/
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