The last couple of days have been hard.
Mum’s dementia has become a little more obvious.
Last week she greeted a visiting psychy nurse in little more than a blanket.
This week she was assessed for adult care and found to need in home care.
This was by way of another intensive survey which identified her needs as support with medication, feeding and drinking adequately.
We have already got her pills into a pod form for her, something the pharmacy do for us.
Last night a carer came and made sure she took her medicine and even made her tea.
This morning a carer oversaw her medication too.
I phoned her to see how things went to be told she hadn’t taken her meds and thought the carer must have taken them with her.
So, I drove to her house and started the search for her meds and the carers recording book.
After half an hour we found both and it was obvious that rather than missing a dose, extra medication had been taken.
I notified the carer’s office and they dispatched a manager.
Contacting her GP’s practise I found out that the extra meds she had taken (before hiding the pod) wouldn’t harm her as long as she didn’t take them for a day.
The manager and I have moved her medication on to “administered” status meaning they take them from a locked box and give them to her.
It was distressing to hear her denying she’d had visits, insisting she’d had no medication since yesterday and even having a go at me for taking her independence away from her.
All the rubbish she’d told this woman previously about being able to look after herself went out the window.
One thing I’m sure will happen during this trial week is that we will establish just how poor her feeding and meds regimes are and more importantly how appalling her memory is: she confirmed, denied and then confirmed again the carer’s visits all within five minutes!
Her medication is locked in a secure box with a hidden key (we have a copy).
We’re sorting out a key safe outside her front door to augment our copy keys.
Gill and the girls are at a funeral this afternoon (niece’s boyfriend). Can’t wait for them to get back.
I know I’m helping her get the care she needs but she’s starting to make me feel like I’ve betrayed her.
This is a part of ageing. Some of become immobile like Dad was, others lose their senses and many. Like Mum lose their mental faculties.
I know all this but it really doesn’t help me from feeling a bit shitty.
