Dementation street

Called to see my Dad. An hour spent with people with various degrees of dementia is uplifting. Their reality is a refreshing change from mine. One old guy with severe dementia was attempting to play a keyboard and chattering away randomly. My Dad (also has dementia) said..'You get arseholes everywhere don't you?'. Then when the staff came around with refreshments he asked if he might have two of those (long thin biscuists) 'to stuff in my bloody ears'! Priceless.

Summer holidays are here

I had faced this summer holiday with real trepidation. J had got himself into a spot of bother a week or two ago with youths who (once again) stole his mobile phone and preyed on his vulnerability. He had agreed to meet them in a derelict house at the back of beyond with no idea of the possible consequences of his actions. Fortunately just his phone was stolen . It was a wake up call for me.Then I discovered he was meeting children as young as 10 in the local park just to play on the swings and to fill his time, but I am aware of the implications of a 20 year old man who appears able and non disabled playing with little children. Doesn't bear thinking about. So I have spent many hours researching and establishing a programme of activities to keep him busy, happy and safe. So it's Wednesday and he has had two days at different voluntary organisations and done really well. His local theatre group have asked him to help backstage at their production all week in the evenings so he is gainfully occupied and I an relieved and content that he is OK. Mums carer has been away on holiday for two weeks so I am calling in to her every other day to sort washing, shopping, meals and cleaning. She just sits and smokes fags after fags while other's organise her life and well being and she has no recollection that anyone has helped at all. thinks she manages perfectly on her own. Visited Dad in the care home which fortunately seems to be run by people who really do CARE. he made us all laugh when he was asked what snack he would like for supper and he asked if he could simply lick the nurses face!! He is losing cognition at an alarming rate now, has lost all his social dishonesty so just says it a sit is, picks his nose, and farts whenever he wants ha! I miss his sharp wit and powers of discussion though. he would have been so incisive about the Murdoch scandal, but now he can barely say a full sentence.M is busy applying for part time work for when he goes off to Uni in September. What a pleasure he has been to nurture and watch grow into the delightful young man he has become. There will be a huge gap in my home without his presence.