Mother's Alzheimers

United States
March 27, 2007 12:24pm CST
My mom has Alzheimers and is being cared for in a nursing facility. She wouldn't be happy with me and my loud family and she is getting the best of care. Yet I worry that I am letting her down. I don't think she knows who I am anymore. She hasn't spoken a word for almost a year. She eats well and feeds herself although sometimes she has to be reminded to put the fod in her mouth. SHe is bed ridden as she just seemed to forget how to walk. We THINK she had a stroke then, also. Mostly she stares blankly at the TV. Doesn't seem to care when we leave after visiting. I watch from the door and she never turns her head as in "Hey where did they go?" I do manicures for her and tweeze stray hairs, put her hair up if she looks too warm,etc. I buy her clothes appropriate for the season and sweaters, etc. We provide her with magazines, drawing paper, coloring books, pens and crayons. Only uses them when I am there and can't spell her name anymore. BUT She seems to be content. I've been told there's no way to know what these patients are thinking. I just hope if she does think anything it is "Well, she was nice"......
2 responses
Janny67
@Janny67 (10)
•
1 Jun 07
Please don't feel guilty she is in the best place, I looked after my mum for 18 months when she first got Alzheimers...the reason she went into a care home was because she left all the gas on in the house and when my brother got there she was shouting and swearing at him, she could have switched a light on and blown up, so the doctor said she would be better there for her own safety, the thing was I was moving the next day to be nearer to her, but I agreed with the doc and she went in the home, for the last 10 years she has been there, now she is in the final stages and although I do feel guilty for not going enough and not being there for her as much as I should I know that these feelings are normal. You do all you can for your mom and she would know that, my psychiatrist said to me that I shouldn't feel guilty because I was there for her when she needed me at first and she would remember that, and so would your mom. Best wishes and try not to worry.
xlyingxwhispersx
@xlyingxwhispersx (721)
• United States
27 Mar 07
My grandmother, who raised me, also has alzheimers, and I take care of her. I tell ya its really difficult. She always wants to do the dishes or the wash, and she just cant do it anymore. It doesnt get done right, and I always have to re do them, and shes always so mean to me. But I deal with it...I wish my family would think about putting her in a nursing facility. I think she would do much better there.