Hi all....I thought I would relate to you what I've been learning about the
community of Assisted Living. As you know my mother is in independent
assisted living that is not strictly for persons with dementia. She gets
along very well there with a little help from my brother and me. There are
people who have dementia like Mom but there are also a lot of people who are
there because of physical problems and their minds are just fine. Many of
the people do not get many visits from family. I talk to them in the
hallway or community areas as well the dining room. They all remark about
how much Mom's family visits and although they don't always say it, I know
that they don't get much company. For awhile I was doing Mom's laundry on
Saturday morning there at the assisted living facility then I would have
lunch in the dining room with her. I admit I talk a lot more to Mom's
dining partners because they talk more than Mom these days. I try to get
Mom to talk a little but you all know how it is. I've noticed that Mom
gets maybe a little more respect because of the company she receives.
Nobody has ever said this but I perceive it. I think at first Mom knew it
too. I remember one day last year when both my brother and I were there
for lunch, she was so proud. Saying that she bet she was the only one that
had two kids there. She no longer notices these things nowadays but the
other residents do.
I had to quit the laundry thing for a few weeks, vacation and then my
grandson's ball games on Saturday. I bring it home and do it but I plan to
start doing it there on Saturdays again when I can. I visit for a couple
of hours and chat with Mom's new 'friends'. I suppose that Mom being so
good at cards helps her make friends too. Strange that she can still play
so well. Since she was such an avid Bridge player she pooh-poohs the idea
of playing Rummy but she plays anyway.
She seems happy there, watching the Geese on the pond and the birds outside
her sliding glass door. The batteries went out in her TV remote but I
don't think she noticed. She can't follow TV much these days.....June