Alzheimers

This is not going to be as serious as it seems from the title. As many close to me know- my Grandmother has Alzheimers and I have been helping her out. Now- there is the hollywood version of helping Alzheimer's patients out, the do-good version (you know- let's all go to the assisted living place and sing a song), then there is the Granddaughter version:

1) Junk Mail. She gets on average (this is not a lie) 30 pieces of junk mail a day - specifically asking for money. She has several magazine subscriptions, some doubled, and a handful of "thank you"gifts coming in from when she gives money - which is often. I have inherited many of these gifts (bags, socks, underwear, dreamcatchers, coins, rosaries, gloves, reading lights, a sticker spporting the police chiefs (why do they need support? they have guns) and of course various doubled magazines).... She keeps the cards and calendars to herself - last year we threw out 150 calendars. Wow. I am in the process of calling all these people and trying to get her off the mailing list. Interesting and challenging.

2) Real mail. Things like- oh- say a tax adjusment for the 2007 tax year, that was mailed July 27 2009 and needed to be addressed in 30 days.... just found it. Nice. Mailing it to her tax friend who is perhaps 85 and still doing her taxes. Can't help but be a little nervous about that one. Bills, checks, statements, bills for things she "ordered" (aka "get a FREE preview of our book, andifyoulikeitwe'llbillyou10dayslater"), bills that are months over due and bills that are for things she doesn't need. I snatch as much as I can and mail it to Dad or take care of it if it is immediate. This feels like being financially responsible.... without the checks. Fun.

3) Medicine - I talked about this in a previous post. Refilling prescriptions and dreaming up ways to get her to take em- check!

4) Eating/Groceries- going to eat with her, going grocery shopping with her is especially hilarious... before I would try to steer her away from buying the honey buns and cakes, but she's 91 lbs and 87 years old. I make sure she buys the fattest kind. She has a severe sweet tooth and nothing to show for it- we hate her and love her. Dessert is not an option- so I have to order really healthy lunches to make up for the dessert. I have kept her from buying frozen chicken nuggets "in case company comes" by showing her while they were cooked - she would have to re-cook them. She also doesn't always know what she needs- so I have to steal a glance at her fridge and pantry- and then throw in some ensures and protein bars so she can fatten up.

5) Solicitors- every time her phone rings when I'm there- I rush to get it before her. It is always someone wanting money or checking up on a pledge she unwittingly made. Seriously- they should know better!

and that is just a little snap shot of it. We also have piles of magazines, books, and mailing in our house so that it isn't in hers.

I felt like painting this more realistic picture of what caring for my Grandmother is- just because I have a pile of her papers in front of me and thought- this is everywhere! Now it's in my blog. ha. The last thing I will say is that the perks of taking care of Grandmother are wonderful- she speaks so positively all the time- it helps me remember in her words that: every day is a great day, Hunter is always so happy and cheerful, I am so lucky, She is so grateful, It's a perfect day to walk/drive/ be out, and she loves me and feels close to me. That makes the mudane worthwhile. Plus her stories-every now and then I'll get a new one. ; )

Ok- need to shower.