Since last Wednesday I have been in Winnipeg helping to look after my father, whose cognitive and language skills continue to deteriorate, and who’s now in the hospital because the medicine they prescribed to combat the decline appears to be causing him migraines. Much like me, he’s not sure where and when his next move will be, but he knows that where he is now is not home.
It’s been an amazing learning experience for me, both in the sense of learning empathy (not trying to “fix” everything, or assign blame, just attentive listening and encouraging, appreciative response) and in the sense of learning to let go of what you can’t control. My father remains for me what he has always been — an astonishing, subtle and humble role model. More about this (and a resumption of Links of the Week) when I return to work next week. I’m also working on articles on:
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Dave, I also have been helping my father who is losing his cognitive and language skills, so I can certainly empathize with your plight. I just spent 3 weeks in south FL helping him and my step-mother who has dementia get settled into a nursing home. It’s certainly a challenge for them because they would rather be at their home, but alas, they don’t have the right insurance to pay for home health care so we must apply for medicaid for them and leave them in a nursing home. It’s such a difficult decision to make, but I know they must be somewhere safe where the people are qualified to take care of them. I wish you the best in your endeavors and appreciate all you share with us through your blog. Thanks, Stephanie