kathie's dad is brilliant. i wish i had thought of doing something like that. if only i had one of those old tape recorder thingies with the microphones. or a video camera. awww...
i kinda hope hope HOPE that the person with the dementia or alzheimers is in an 'ignorance is bliss' state. hearing about krisnine's dad having lucid moments gives me a sad feeling. you kinda hope your family member is doing better than you are doing, having to deal with losing them in a 'long goodbye'.
one thing we really concentrated on where i worked was DIGNITY. that meant no laughing when mr. jones tried to call his son on the spoon, or letting a couple of old guys run wild with their diapers (we call them pads out of respect) hanging off their naked asses. i say these things so bluntly because it sometimes seems like they are having such a good time but you gotta kinda go to them and talk them into getting back in their pants. but you do it privately and with respect.
when i think of very old people i always think of that song by some nineties band, return to innocence, the video shows an old guy dying and the whole song goes through his life backwards. i cry when i watch it omg. i will keep my parents with me when they can't take care of themselves. even though i know there are good caregivers out there, i just really want them with me. whether they die of cancer or dementia.
i think i really love crazy old people. one day i would love to work in hospice care.
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