I work with residents with alzheimers and Last week we got a new admit. So I was trying to do my assessment of what he was oriented to. I tried my hardest to remember to ask open ended questions instead of questions that can be answered with Yes or No.
Here is how our conversation went:
ME: "What is your name ?"
Resident: "Mr. XYZ"
Me: "What is todays date ?"
Resdient: ( unable to remember date)
( Now for the funny part)
Me: "Where are you ? "
Resident: " I'm Right Here" ( and he looked at me like I had 6 heads on my shoulders for asking him such a silly question)
I loved the story everyone shared about their residents. My mother and my family suffered through Alzheimer's, she passed away 2 years ago. I worked the Special Care unit in a LTC facility, we had a lady that could tell you stories about going to the moon to find a cure for cancer to being there when Jesus was crucified. ( she voted against it) Mother Mary was always visiting her and any thing you did she did. One time we were discussing plastic surgery, she raised her hand and said " I had plastic surgery one time." I thought of course you did. Than she said" it did not last very long" I loved it on that unit. The disease is a nasty thing for people and families to go through. Sometimes laughter can get you through.
Great story! It reminded me of what happened the other day when a resident was peddling around in his wheelchair stating that he was hungry and wanted something to eat........wait for it..........he was holding his afternoon snack of cookies in his hand! I love 'em!
it's little things like that that make the day go by easier and make it all worth it, no matter how hard of a day i might have had. sometimes i wish i carried a pen and notebook just to keep track of all the stories and quotes...i'm sure we could each write a book..complying with hippa of course .
( and he looked at me like I had 6 heads on my shoulders for asking him such a silly question)
I love 'em!
.
vslpn04
9 Posts
I loved the story everyone shared about their residents. My mother and my family suffered through Alzheimer's, she passed away 2 years ago. I worked the Special Care unit in a LTC facility, we had a lady that could tell you stories about going to the moon to find a cure for cancer to being there when Jesus was crucified. ( she voted against it) Mother Mary was always visiting her and any thing you did she did. One time we were discussing plastic surgery, she raised her hand and said " I had plastic surgery one time." I thought of course you did. Than she said" it did not last very long" I loved it on that unit. The disease is a nasty thing for people and families to go through. Sometimes laughter can get you through.