Monday "Memories" With My Mom

     Well, my mom has been living at American House for about 20 days now.  This past week I think I visited only twice.  I need to "let go" a little bit and let the care she has coming to her "kick in".

     This week the Med Team (that's the name of the company) people took over giving my mom her medications.  This was always a BIG job for me.  Sorting, refilling, reordering, remembering to give them, being patient while she takes them, etc...  Now I just have to oversee the refills, but I've been waiting for years for help with her meds, and it's finally here.  The Med Team has also called and requested my mom be in physical therapy (which they have on site at American House) and they are putting in a request for her to have a skilled nurse.  Both of which I ok'd (of course!).  On the days when her walking is poor, they have been using a wheelchair to get her to and from the dining room.

     My mom does seem to like all of the help she is receiving.  At this point in her life, it's kind of ironic.  She has needed so much help for so many years.  I heard she was shocked last week when her weekly housekeeping was scheduled and they cleaned her bathroom, vacuumed, dusted, etc...  My mom has never had a cleaning person, and she seems grateful and surprised to finally have the help.

     Yesterday when I visited she was doing well using her walker, and my favorite nurse's aide was helping her.  I also was glad to see my mom sitting on the couch in the lobby today when Jacob and I came for a visit.  She was glad to see us, and later we visited with her when she went down to the dining room for lunch. 

     Tomorrow I have a meeting with my mom's new Area Agency on Aging case manager to again evaluate my mom and her needs.  I am glad she is finally "in the system" (as everyone tells me is good), and on a path of getting the continuing care she so badly needs.

 

Thanks for the recent cards, Stacey, Barb and Joan (the other is from me...lol).  Getting mail is like a status thing.  The mailboxes are by the dining room and everyone checks for mail all the time.  

It's also very exciting when visitors come to the dining room and ask the ladies if they can take their picture.  My mom (in the coral color) seems to be making some new friends.

This is Jacob and his adopted grandma, "Grandma Frog".  She happens to be my good friend, Alyce's, mother-in-law and she has become a good friend to my mom and introduced her to many many people at the American House.  She is very popular and pretty darn funny!!