http://www.caring.com/community/groups/alzheimers-support/discussions/moving-with-children-to-live-with-mom en-us 60 <p>Hi Leesprunk... I am a newbie here... and work in the Home Health field... looking for people like yourself&nbsp; that are primary caregivers and have ideas and solutions that in part or whole will help me with my clients!!&nbsp; </p><p>Currently,&nbsp; we have a client that sounds like she is about where your mom is in her dementia.&nbsp; There are several things we do with her that she seems to enjoy.&nbsp; One, she LOVES to take her dog, only the cutest little dog ever, for a walk every day first thing in the morning.&nbsp; This gives her time to interact with other people and also, physical activity.&nbsp;&nbsp; </p><p>Another thing she LOVES to do and lets her feel like she is in control is COOK!!!&nbsp; OMG... do we cook!!!&nbsp; Your girls may like to learn to cook from Grandma and I am sure Grandma would love to share this with them!!&nbsp; We also play board games and read the paper and share our opinions on current events... serious or silly!!&nbsp; </p><p>In my opinion, you will have to give it a try with Grandma joining you guys with the girls activities...&nbsp; depending on if she enjoys it, if she is continent or not and how comfy she is going in public.&nbsp; Being a large family, I can only imagine she would love the interaction.</p><p>Good Luck and i am really glad to have found this site!!!!&nbsp; Lookin forward to sharing and learning here!!~H<img src="/javascripts/fckeditor/editor/images/smiley/msn/tounge_smile.gif" /></p> Mon, 16 Jun 2008 19:53:37 -0000 www.caring.com:11:166:888 Heather http://www.caring.com/community/groups/alzheimers-support/discussions/moving-with-children-to-live-with-mom <p>Hello, leesprunk! Welcome to Caring groups! We're so glad you've found us. You've come to an area where other caregivers like yourself share what works for them and get and give advice. </p><p>I'm sorry to hear of your news, but kudos to you for your efforts in caring for your mother. You sound like a remarkable person. I personally have not had experience in this, but hopefully someone who has will come along and give their take on matters. </p><p>As for as organization, get a simple calendar planner book (I recently picked one up at Barnes &amp; Noble) and start using it to help remember where you have to be and when. I have three kids and two jobs and that book absolutely saves my bacon now and then. :)</p><p>Do let us know how things are progressing! </p> Sat, 14 Jun 2008 00:20:29 -0000 www.caring.com:11:166:868 LauraL http://www.caring.com/community/groups/alzheimers-support/discussions/moving-with-children-to-live-with-mom <p>I am moving home from out of state to live with my mom and help her as long as she is able to live in her home. She is 86 years old. The baby of her family (with several living sisters her age&nbsp;and older). Depending on who you speak to she has early stage Alzeimers (not genetic), vascular dementia, cognative impairment or just normal aging.&nbsp; I don't care what it is called, she is losing (drastically) her short term memory and her long term memory is showing a few holes too.&nbsp; Her health is <b>not</b> that of the typical senior. Very healthy in some respects but very fragile in others. In a very long lived family, her failing mental faculties are unusual. My daughters (14 &amp; 10)understand Grandma's problems and have experienced first hand her failing memory. They are completely enthusiastic about helping Grandma and spending as much time as possible with her for as long as they can before she has to go into assisted living, nursing home or just plain can't remember who they are.&nbsp; We all plan to keep her active so she doesn't have time to brood over the things she can't&nbsp;remember or do&nbsp;any more.</p> <p>She doesn't need any medical care at home or personal care, not even cooking. But she can't regulate her meds (many) or her checkbook or her calendar (including many doctor appts).&nbsp;She also needs&nbsp;to surrender her car keys but that should be an easy transition to me once I move in. I don't have a car so she wants me to have hers available for work and kid activiies.&nbsp;She has become frustrated and resentful about all the things she can't&nbsp;recall and is starting to reach the point where she can't remember that she can't remember.&nbsp;</p> <p>My siblings have had the brunt of her health care and money handling and I hope to help ease the tension and frustration on all sides by being a consistant&nbsp;companion and caregiver. One sister will continue to be her health care advocate while another will take care of her finances.</p> <p>Does any one have practical suggestions about how we can support her and watch over her without taking away her dignity and self respect?&nbsp; She has always been a strong woman. Definitely the matriarch with 6 living children and 70+ grands, greats &amp; great-greats.&nbsp;</p> <p>Her grandchildren will be in and out of her home as usual, probably more than usual with my 2 there and we will have to set up a prominent calendar to keep track of all our activities.&nbsp; This has worked well in the past to help her feel comfortable with having to write down all the work &amp; kid stuff in addition to her appointments.&nbsp; Same thing with grocery lists and tv and bedtime schedules for the kids helping her keep track of eating and meds and bedtimes.&nbsp;</p> <p>I want to get the girls into extracurricular activities and get her involved in senior and church activities at the same time. It seems that it will be less obvious(?) manipulative(?) if everyone else has to keep track and be involved too.</p> <p>Any things I should watch out for? Any tips? Any suggestions to a usually disorganized mom (me) on how to get 2 kids and a senior on track and happy? Help???</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> Fri, 13 Jun 2008 22:56:04 -0000 www.caring.com:11:166:867 leesprunk http://www.caring.com/community/groups/alzheimers-support/discussions/moving-with-children-to-live-with-mom