Sunday, September 24, 2006

Quality of Life

My sister Betty took this photo of Mom on a recent visit to see her. She isn't as talkative as she used to be, but she definitely looks like she was enjoying the visit, and the staff had dressed her so nicely.

This past week (after I reminded staff that she was very late for both her opthamology and neurology checkups ... then appointments were made), we found out she not only needs a new eyeglass prescripton, but that she doesn't have her old pair anymore because they were broken recently. We learned this through a voicemail, but no reason was given. They also want to know if we want them to followup on the recommendation of getting a new pair; it was intimated that she doesn't use them so why bother. I definitely feel she should have them. To see much at all, she needs them, especially since her glacouma has obviously worsened. Even if she doesn't read as much as she once did, she often looks through her photo collection, and that is comforting to her. It's the least we can do...

Sunday, September 10, 2006

"Growing Old" DVD


How does someone define aging? Is your age in your body or in your mind?

A wonderful new documentary film explores this...

Monday, September 04, 2006

Dementia Diary

"Her world was shrinking, and she was becoming more and more isolated. Those she offended saw only a difficult personality getting worse. No one suspected the demon growing inside of her, the illness that had begun to twist her memories, her judgment, and her emotions..."
Bob Tell writes about his mother as she slips into Dementia, a tale many of us know all too well.