You must be a relative

I had to call the doctor out to one of my ladies yesterday and happened to return to the lady's house as he arrived. Along with her daughter I relayed all the symptoms and stayed until he'd left so that I could pass any important information back to the office.

Today I find another woman halloucinating when I arrive, so I phoned for a doctor again.
I don't know if you are aware that housecalls from doctors can take up to 6 hours for them to arrive so unfortunately I had to leave this lady. I did however make an imprompu return at lunch time just to check she was ok; especially as no-one was due to go back until 7pm this evening.
As luck would have it the doctor was already there on my arrival and happened to be same person from the day before.

'Hello again' he says 'What are you doing here?'
'I am this lady's care worker, I have just popped back to make sure she was ok'
'Oh you're a care worker' came the astonished reply 'you seemed so  concerned yesterday, I thought you must have been the lady's son.'

What a nice thing to say

With safety in mind

One of my elderly ladies has a habit of falling over.  Because of this I am particularly diligent with regard to her pendant alarm, which is a necklace with a button for them to press in the event of a fall.
I regularly turn up and find her wandering around without it on and have to nag her (nicely of course) to put it on.

'Yes dear you are quite right, I should be more careful nowadays'

She also gets about with the aid of a walking frame; Today, I knock at the door and was just beginning to get concerned about how long she was taking to answer, when she eventually poked her round the door. I immediately realised the reason it took her so long; She was not using her frame.

'Why are you not using your frame?' I ask

'I am using it to dry out my towels at the moment'

Two sugars

Whilst visiting a gentleman for the first time I politely asked if he would like a cup of tea

'Oh yes please, that would be nice'

'Would you like milk and sugar?'

'Yes please.'

'where do you keep the sugar?

'Erm. is it not in the cupboard?

'No'

'Oh, that's strange!'


and so the search for the sugar began in earnest. I pulled everything out of the cupboard where I found the tea, while he went into the larder, muttering to himself about where he could have put it.
Five minutes later he triumphantly appears with the sugar pot.

'Oh good how many do you have' I asked

'Just the two'

I sat down for a chat with him whilst he drank his drink and suggested that I put the sugar with the tea so that we know where it is in future.

'That will be a good idea, Thank you'

Three days later I return to the same gentleman.

'Cup of tea?'

'Yes please'

It's two sugars isn't it?

'Oh no I don't take sugar, haven't done for years'

Another wrong number

 

Whilst visiting a gentleman today, he was having difficulty getting his point across to a social worker on the phone. As I understood what he was trying to say I asked him if he would like me to talk to the lady, to which he gratefully excepted the offer. After five minutes the lady said that is fine, has he got a reference number.

'Yes' he said 'let me read it out to you;   C,  R,   one,   five,   one,   five,   L,  one,  N,  E''

I repeated the number to the social worker

'Are you sure that's right?' she asked 'As I don't recognise that style of number'.

To which he adamantly replied 'Yes! That's definately the one the lady wrote out for me. Look!'

When I looked at the number it read Crisis Line

The number he wanted was on the other side of the paper

Feeling wanted

I visited a Rene, today a lady who has recently come out of hospital.

Just before she had gone into hospital, I had started paying her regular visits. I had got the 'regular call'  because I appeared to be the only one who could get her to answer the door.

I can’t claim to be much better than any of the other carers, as there was a simple answer to this conundrum; I turned up later than all the other carers and she was out of the shower by the time I arrived.

Going back to the story. It was my weekend off when she came out of hospital, so another carer popped into see her and by the Sunday she had rang the office to say she wanted Andrew back (that’s me, by the way,  I have no idea why she calls me Andrew)

‘I have nothing against the other man’ she said when I arrived, ‘but you know exactly what I want’

‘Why thank you Rene, I am deeply touched, It’s nice to feel wanted’ I replied

'Well you do!'


As I drove away I pondered over the conversation. What exactly did I do for her?

Whenever I arrive she is having her dinner and usually has a tipple with her meal, so I don’t make a cup of tea. I can’t wash up because she is still eating, the house is always immaculate, so nothing to do there and she is responsible for taking her medication.

So what exactly is it that I do.

I sit down and talk for ten minutes.

As a footnote to me being called Andrew. Whilst visiting recently Rene was telling a nurse how nice it was for me to be doing her housework, but stumbled as she went to say my name as she wasn't sure if she had got it right.
'It is Andew isn't?
'No It's Ian'
'Oh I am sorry, I thought it was Andrew'
'No problem' says I 'I've been called a lot worse'
five minutes later she says 'Do you mind dusting the curtain rail Andy You don't mind if I call you Andy instead of Andrew do you? '
'Not at all Rene'

a single word means so much

Imran is bed bound and due to his illness, finds it hard to do all the things that you and I would take for granted, He can’t walk and barely communicates, apart from if you ask a straight question like ‘How many sheets do you want over you? One or two? Then you get a one word answer which you have already formulated in his head.

I have been visiting him on and off for a few months now and along with the other carer we always try to talk about something to him rather than over his head, which would be really easy to do. I always talk about the cricket knowing his country of origin and their passion for that sport. I am not sure if likes cricket but he always widens his eyes when I am talking about it, so I can only hope I am sparking a memory from his past.

In fact the eyes are his main form of communication if you watch carefully. They acknowledge your arrival when you walk in and tend to be raised for the answer ‘yes’ to any question.

Today was one of those little gems that keeps us care workers going. We walked in and greeted Imran with a cheery hello, before setting about our business. After about five minutes whilst filling in the medication book, I noticed Imran staring at me more intensely than usual, so I smiled at him, and was about to continue my work when all of a sudden he said ‘Hello’

The effort it took him to muster that simple word meant so much more than any amount of ‘thank you's’ that may come from his family.

New Technology

Interestingly, we often go on about how the youth of today don't know about things like vinyl records etc.

I went to see an elderly chap today who was excitedly telling me that he went to buy the new Bond movie 'Skyfall' for his son, and was astonished that he could only buy it in a disc format (not tape).

I had to bite my tongue when he said 'Do you know they can get a whole film onto one disc nowadays? It's amazing!' and then after a few seconds he asked 'Will it play on my Cd player?'

'I'm afraid not'

 'Oh well never mind I am sure my son will be able to play it, he has all these new fangled gadgets'

I am not going out today

One day whilst visiting Katie, I heard this terrible commotion as I opened the door. A meals on wheels lady was trying to get her to go into the kitchen to eat her dinner.

‘No! I am not going out today shouted Katie. I don’t want to go out!’

‘I am not asking you to go out; I have put your dinner in the kitchen.’

‘No! You can’t make me go out! Let go of me!’ She yelled as the meals on wheels lady was gently holding her arm and trying to coax her out of the chair.


I went in and suggested that as I know her quite well, I would deal with Katie; to which the Meals on Wheels lady beat a grateful and hasty retreat and rushed out of the door.

I asked Katie to sit down and brought her dinner to her in the lounge.

‘Oh No!’ she said, as she looked down at her dinner in aghast ‘She was saying kitchen, I thought she wanted to take me to Hitchin'.

The last hoorah for Artie

I feel I cannot finish on a low note with Arty
One day whilst visiting Artie got onto one of his repetitious loops which on this occasion was toast.
I had finished all my jobs and was sitting down whilst having a chat and filling in my daily report.
'Would you like some toast?' says Artie
'No thank you' I said and carried on my conversation with his wife.
A few moments later he asked again. 'I say would you like some of my toast?'
'It's alright Artie, I've had breakfast Thanks'
Again I continued with my chat to his wife
'Are you sure you wouldn't like some toast, it's very nice'
'I am sure it is Artie, but you have it'
This continued for some time until eventually it all went quiet. 'Oh good!' I thought 'he's forgotten all about it'.
As I started to walk to the door he piped up
'Excuse me what's your name, I seem to have forgotten?'
This in itself is not unusual so I reply
'My name is Ian'
'Ian?'
'That's right'
'How do yoy spell that/'
'I A N'
'I A N'
That's right'

'Oh well Ian, would you like some toast?'

We'll meet again.

Today was a day of mixed emotions; Artie has got a place in a local care home and this was my last day of  getting him dressed and ready for the day. Although he has dementia and does not seem to know what is going on from one moment to the next, I felt that somehow he knew something was going on. For the first time since I have been looking after him he showed a bit of defiance at being washed and dressed. 'Why do I need someone to dress me? I am quite capable of doing it myself thank you'
I decided not to argue but started walking up the stairs singing 'Here we are again happy as can be, all good friends and jolly good company'
He immediately joined in with the song and followed me up the stairs. Although we went through our repetoire of songs, it was sombre bathroom today despite all my best efforts to be cheerful there always seemed to be a sad undertone.
Having finally finished, his wife emotionally thanked me for all me help and gave me a hug before I went in and shook Artie's hand for the last time. I never mentioned that this was the last time I would see him in the mornings, but as always he smiled and thanked me for my all my help; This seemed a touch more poigniant than on other days and I had to get hold my emotions before I replied.
'You'r'e welcome Sir, it is always a pleasure .' ....... Which it was!

I hope he settles in to his new place and his wife can now begin to rebuild her life.

 I am about to compile a list of his favourite songs to give to his new carer at the home, along with a cd for him to play. (hoping he will have a cd player)
I have promised to pop into see him from time to time and hopefully have a little sing song for old times sake.

The link below is our favourite
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W2WHd6qJn4c