The Update We Don't Want To Hear

Quinn was in touch with AC folks this morning before she went to work. Apparently the transition is not going as well as we were hoping. It sounds downright ugly, in fact, reminiscent of her stints in the hospital. Right now, Mom is requiring one-on-one care, a situation that can't continue much longer. She is highly agitated and they have been keeping her away from group activities. Our guess is that her agitation stems from knowing she's someplace different and needs to get back to where she belongs.

Quinn was going to try to connect with Mom's doctor today (she's at work, though). Maybe a temporary change in Mom's meds will help until she's better acclimated. I filled Danny in this morning and he talked to Kay or Stacy at AC and made plans to visit Mom early this afternoon. With prayers and luck, maybe he had his usual calming effect on her.

That's all I know for now. Hopefully Quinn and Danny will fill in the blanks soon. If the AC people are okay with it, I'll go there tomorrow.

The move in...

Went very smoothly!

We all decided that it was better not to forwarn Mom about the move lest she get worried about remembering something.

So the morning of the move (while Quinn, Megan, Paul and I moved items and decorated the new room), Danny showed up and said "Great news about that new wing they built, let's go check it out." He put Mom in the car, and drove the two miles to her new place. She kind of looked at him like, what's this? He said, "It's the new wing, let's go in and check it out." They got out and the lady from AC was waiting at the door. She took Mom from Danny,welcomed her and said that they were just starting the music - and mom went willingly with her.

As for the transition...

I was was waiting for Paul and the girls to return with the stuff from BG for the room. To pass time, I was walking around. So....I actually bumped into Mom and Kay (the lady from AC) in the hall. Mom looked happy to see me, Kay looked not too pleasantly surprised. (only because their experience has been that it's nice to just get the transition started - you know, like leaving a little one off at pre-school ...they say that they don't want to stay but you know if you just leave them, they will have fun. ) So, anywho...I just kissed Mom and told her that the music was starting, she should go on in. She just kept on walking.

We proceeded to get all of the stuff from Quinn's car and bring it in. Just so happens, we were coming around the corner like a freight train full of stuff, when up the hall comes Mom and Kay - headed to lunch. Mom smiled and kept on walking. Everything was going smoothly. We finished the room and left.

They will be calling Quinn daily with updates on her transition. The one from Saturday was, that Mom had participated in all activities on Friday. She slept through the night. When they woke her, she got dressed but did not want to go and eat with the others. That was fine, they kept her back while the others got situated and then she sat with her "Guardian Angel" to eat. She ate lunch and dinner without a problem. So Saturday went well. Quinn JUST texted the update for Sunday morning...Mom slept well, ate breakfast and was currently washing dishes...Perfect!

Keep your fingers crossed and your prayers coming...

Love to all - Levelle

Oddly enough, I found out how Mom got her room so quickly at Arden Courts...

Mrs. Lois Zeller (from the pool) died today. I'm guessing that she went to Hospice some time late last week and that is why a new room opened up. I know that the few times that we mentioned her name and said that we knew her, no one at AC was willing to tell us where her room was. How is that for Smalltimore?!? Weird!

Love to all - Levelle

James Gilmour, Jr

Jim's dad passed away this morning. He's been in a nursing home for about a year and struggling with respiratory problems recently. We've spent a lot of time out there with him, but even seeing him every week, this was a surprising. He seemed like he was rallying Thursday when we saw him last. He would have been 87 this December.

Edith, his wife, lives in the nursing home, too. She's got some memory/dementia issues, but is pretty healthy otherwise. Maybe she could share a room with Mom?

Funeral will be sometime next week, more details to follow. Does anyone know how to play a bagpipe - he wanted one at his graveside.

Keep us all in your prayers as you always do :)
Love,
Lel

Perhaps we can use Stuart's poem in Mom's new change of address cards...

There hasn't been much local activity on the blog recently, but there's definitely been lots of activity in the local area recently. Because of ongoing concerns about Mom's hygiene and the level of stimulation that BG offered, all of the local siblings began searching for a better option for Mom.

After much review, Arden Courts of Towson was a clear winner. It is a facility specifically designed for Alzheimer's patients. you can read about them at http://www.hcr-manorcare.com/FindALocation/LocationSearchResults/LocationDetail/tabid/67/Default.aspx?FacilityID=636

Some of the highlights include a very open floor plan where Mom will be allowed to walk freely both indoors and out (on good weather days), scheduled activities that change every 1/2 hour throughout the day to keep the patients' attention, established routines for patients especially ones with incontinence issues, and a great location (right off of Charles street just inside the beltway - accessible to Paul by bike.) These are some of the many highlights that helped make the decision. It was our belief (and by our, I mean Quinn j/k) that although the people at BG were all very nice, Mom was just not receiving the amount of direct attention that we felt she deserved based on the large amount of money that they were receiving monthly for her care. All of the staff at AC are trained in Alzheimer's care. They have a proven plan of action in dealing with the ever changing world of an Alzheimer's patient.

We hope you like it and come see it soon. There should be an opening at the end of the month and Mom will be able to move right in. One thing in particular that I liked was their Guardian Angel program. This program matches on employee with a new resident. The Guardian Angel will be the "face of Arden Courts" for Mom as she gets used to her new surroundings.

Love to all - Levelle

PS I hope this wasn't a total shocker to anyone of you from out of town. I'm not sure who you talk to regularly, but I thought we should put it on the blog for posterity.

Happy anniversary

Happy anniversary Mom & Dad. I hope it is a peaceful one for both of you. Much love, Michael