He doesn't remember how to take a shower

* He can lather up with soap just fine, but can't figure out how to wash it off.

* He also needs help getting dressed and undressed. It's the sequential interplay of 'on' and 'off' that just buggars him.

* He has two speaking voices. One is hale and hearty, emphatic with the joy of life that has always been in his possession. "My what a beautiful day!"..... "Look at that - 6 axels on that truck. My goodness!".... "You are certainly an excellent driver. I'm very impressed. You certainly know your way around. Have you lived here long?" "I'm happy to be spending this time with you."

His other voice is quiet, mumbling, with his chin tucked down. I can barely hear him. This is when he's lost in his inability to make his way between his thoughts and his word choices. Salad.

* And as for his amazing, endless appetite... it has tapered off quite a bit. He forgets to finish his meal in front of him and falls asleep. Over the past few months, he has lost ten pounds. I don't know why, since it isn't for lack of access to calories. I'm guessing his body isn't using what he eats.

*Sleeping much more often. Much, much more.


All these things indicate progression of his disease. Sad, but true. Made me cry when I realized it.

Addendum - Hey, it turns out he had a urinary tract infection. As I thought about all those things, they turned into a set of symtoms for me. The elderly are like babies in this way - you really have to hunt for the clues of an infection, have a high index of suspicion. MaryEllen helped me validate my suspicion and suggested a good antibiotic. Thank you, M.E.! He's much better now, but this just goes to show how tenuous his baseline is.

Word salad

Word salad is a mixture of random words that, while arranged in phrases that appear to give them meaning, actually carry no significance. The words may or may not be grammatically correct, but the meaning is hopelessly confused. A famous example is Noam Chomsky's phrase, "Colorless green ideas sleep furiously."

It often represents a symptom of a mental condition in which a person attempts to communicate an idea, but random words come out instead. Often, the person is unaware that he or she did not make sense. It appears in people with dementia and schizophrenia.

Grandpa has dementia. His word salads are being served to us more often. Tonight's was very special:

Me, driving him to a store while the sun was setting: "Beautiful sunset, Grandpa!"
Him: "Yes, the sun and the sockshine"

His aim is not good

so....... God bless Vince for mopping the floor of Gpa's bathroom THREE times today to keep it smelling good!

Grandpa gets lost when sitting down

a text from Vince:
"Gpa has been watching tv with me in the living room. He forgot where he was and asked if he was going back to his place soon. So I took him back to his room. He's ok now."

Later, Grandpa brought out a bathtowel which he had wrapped tightly into a ball, and held it out to show Vince. Vince asked him about it, and Grandpa stuttered, mumbled, couldn't find a complete word to use. Vince unwrapped the ball; in it was Gpa's toothpaste and wallet. Hmm. Mysterious!

Later, getting Gpa ready for bed, Vince had him change into pyjamas. Oh wait, there's his toothbrush in his shirt pocket. And the razor is in his pants pocket. Hmmm...

ah. We think that Grandpa had decided it was a time to travel someplace, and that he had to pack up his personal items. Not having a suitcase, he wrapped things in a towel to make a travel pack. And stashed the rest in his pockets.

Hey, dreams - it's me! Richard Ralph!

When Grandpa goes to Eldercare, they give him an ID tag to wear so that they can call him by his name. When he comes home still wearing it, we take it off and put it on his side table until the next session.

During the night, he often gets up and rummages through his drawers, sometimes changing his clothes completely, going back to bed so that we find him dressed in something entirely different than we set him up in the night before.

This morning, we found he had re-attached his ID tag to his pyjamas. Perhaps he wanted to make sure his wandering dreams found him during the night.

Grandpa's musings about himself

This is from an Eldercare activity to incourage introspection and writing (his answer in blue):

What I've been told about me..... That I'm a very good person! and very helpful to others!
(I'm glad he remembers this, as it is something I tell him often)

What I tell myself about me... That I help any neighbors and friends and do not harm anyone!

What I really know about me... That I help my neighbors and friends and do not harm others!

July 2011

Grandpa's July 4th musings

Grandpa's day at Eldercare (3x week) includes writing excercises designed to maintain writing and thinking skills. Last week they were asked to write their thoughts about the July 4th holiday and its meaning to this country, making sentences that began with the letters of 'America'.

This is Grandpa's work, and all spelling and punctuation are as he wrote it (in blue):

A - America offers its people Freedom for its people!

M - Many of them are living in much more freedsom!

E - Every where one looks, we see them in great freedom!

R - Regions of people can be seen with people living freely!

I - In all of these regions, the people have developed great pleasures.

C - Citizens of each region have developed their pleasures as they wish!

A - American citizens each of their regions and taught their people how to live with each other in the most pleasant way. Richard Ralph

Gotta save him from himself!

Ah Vince, thank you for your diligence in always keeping a weather eye and ear out for Grandpa's doings in the kitchen...

Vince heard the microwave bell go 'ding' and went out to investigate. He found Grandpa heating up his coffee cup. In it was: hot water, tea leaves from an opened tea bag, and cat food.

Yum!

Grandpa funny

Grandpa walks out to the living room where Gabe is sitting with his girlfriend, Meredith, watching TV. Grandpa bursts out laughing. Gabe asks, "What's so funny, Grandpa?"

Grandpa relies, "You and Nixon, huh?"

Visit from Ed last summer Aug 2010