Dad constantly surprises me these days. Mainly about things that I never thought anyone could get confused about.
Like butter... Dad's memory is weak about recent events but reasonably good about longer-ago events. Dad loves potatoes, and has been putting butter on them all his life. Until tonight, when he forgot (for the first time I am aware of).
I made shrimp and fishsticks, potatoes, green beans, and a salad. So I had cocktail and tarter sauce out long with the butter. For the past couple of months, he has asked me which of the sauces go with the fishsticks vs the shrimp, and I always tell him that either sauce if fine with either meat, just personal preference. I've gotten used to that question being asked every time.
But he couldn't figure out what he put on his potatoes? That is probably the most basic thing he has ever forgotten, because it goes so far back into his past. He remembered he wanted it on bread...
I'm glad his body is working better than his mind these days. Answering questions about what to put on potatoes is a lot easier than having to help with personal hygiene.
Hygiene is probably the next problem, though. I didn't hear sink water running the last time he used the bathroom. I think I won't be sharing bowls of chips or nuts in the future. Seriously, I know he washes his hands sometimes, but I think he is forgetting more often.
I'm not in the habit of doing this degree of monitoring an adult's personal practices. I can make meals, do laundry, give him his pills, arrange haircuts, write his bill checks for him to sign, arrange taxes, house sale, get him to a dentist or doctor, buy things he needs, etc, etc, etc.
But I can't do the more personal stuff...
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4 comments:
Hugs friend. It's tough isn't it! Just do the best you can for as long as you can. There is always in-home care available too, if you need it - maybe an hour a day or whatever you need. I think medicare might cover a couple of things like that, but i'M NOT SURE.
I suppose there are worse things then forgetting butter on potatoes. As long as he eats, it's ok, no?
I wonder, what about a novelty sign in the bathroom "employees must wash hands before returning to work" might just spark the idea to actually do it. If he asks, it was a silly joke gift and you thought you'd put it up. You dont have to say it was a gift from you to you/him..
Maybe you could have a bottle of Purell or some other hand sanitizer and as you pass by him a few times each day just say "time to clean your hands" or some such thing and just squirt some on & have him rub it in, or squirt it on your hands and rub it into his?
I like Shaggy and Scout's idea, Mark...sounds do-able.
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