Today my sister and I met with the director of our Mother’s care home. He had asked for a meeting with us to go over Mom’s care plan now that she has been there a couple months and has settled in.
It is a painful process having to place your mom in a special care home. Our hearts ache as her personality and intelligence is robbed by Alzheimer’s disease. The role reversal is difficult to get used to. In our lifetime, our roles have gone full circle. The mother who took care of us when we were children is now becoming the child. Just as she used to meet with our teachers for parent-teacher interviews, now we, her children, are meeting with the people entrusted with her care, to discuss the best plan of action for her. This cruel, unrelenting disease is taking our mother away, leaving a shell of who she used to be with a new personality clouded by vague memories and confusion. We struggle to come to terms with what is happening as she begins to forget her grandchildren, no longer understands finances and is no longer able to live on her own.
How fortunate we are that there are angels among us who step forward with love, patience and understanding to take care of our loved ones when they need it the most. How would families cope if not for the special care aids, LPNs and nurses who know what to do and how to care for our confused loved ones? While we struggle to understand what is happening to our mother, her care-givers wrap their love around her and provide her with a safe environment. All the things that are new to us, they have seen before and handle with caring hands and knowledge. Not only do they care for Mom, but they are teaching us as well about this disease and about growing old with dignity, no matter what. We are so grateful to have a safe place for Mom where she is cared for by these special people. This is a new road for my sister and I, one that we walk with our mother. Luckily, we will be guided by the experience and knowledge of others, and it is not a road we will have to travel alone. Those who care for the elderly and the confused with love, patience and a sense of humour no doubt earn their place in Heaven here on earth. For us, the families of those they care for, they are already angels who have our appreciation, respect and admiration. Angels who care for the elderly and the confused when families are not able to. . . it’s a good thing!
It is a painful process having to place your mom in a special care home. Our hearts ache as her personality and intelligence is robbed by Alzheimer’s disease. The role reversal is difficult to get used to. In our lifetime, our roles have gone full circle. The mother who took care of us when we were children is now becoming the child. Just as she used to meet with our teachers for parent-teacher interviews, now we, her children, are meeting with the people entrusted with her care, to discuss the best plan of action for her. This cruel, unrelenting disease is taking our mother away, leaving a shell of who she used to be with a new personality clouded by vague memories and confusion. We struggle to come to terms with what is happening as she begins to forget her grandchildren, no longer understands finances and is no longer able to live on her own.
How fortunate we are that there are angels among us who step forward with love, patience and understanding to take care of our loved ones when they need it the most. How would families cope if not for the special care aids, LPNs and nurses who know what to do and how to care for our confused loved ones? While we struggle to understand what is happening to our mother, her care-givers wrap their love around her and provide her with a safe environment. All the things that are new to us, they have seen before and handle with caring hands and knowledge. Not only do they care for Mom, but they are teaching us as well about this disease and about growing old with dignity, no matter what. We are so grateful to have a safe place for Mom where she is cared for by these special people. This is a new road for my sister and I, one that we walk with our mother. Luckily, we will be guided by the experience and knowledge of others, and it is not a road we will have to travel alone. Those who care for the elderly and the confused with love, patience and a sense of humour no doubt earn their place in Heaven here on earth. For us, the families of those they care for, they are already angels who have our appreciation, respect and admiration. Angels who care for the elderly and the confused when families are not able to. . . it’s a good thing!
No comments:
Post a Comment