Today I moved in with Dorothy, an 85 year old women who is deaf and has a spot of Alzheimer's. I am hoping to live with her for the next year to 18 months and, in an effort to maintain my own sanity, and to record my time with her, I have decided to start blogging again.
So day one has come and gone. Dorothy's son was here when I arrived to settle me in and explain the ins and outs to me. I spent the afternoon unpacking some of my stuff - trying to ram my clothes into the tiny cupboard - but eventually I had to go downstairs and chat to old Dot. Turns out I have no idea what to chat to an old lady about. So after about 5 mins I popped upstairs to google "talking to people with Alzheimer's". Needless to say google was less than helpful but armed with such tips as speak slowly and clearly (a real gem that one, don't think I could have figured that out on my own)I headed back down. Turns out if I just sit quietly next to her the conversation will come to me - one specific conversation - what was my name again? And what time am I going to work? and what time will I be back? I must have answered each of these at least 10 times over a 2 hour period. At one point while trying to help her take her evening pills she handed me the HUGE pill box and asked me if there was anything in there I wanted.
The slight downside to living with Dot is when she does something crazy, like put 1p coins in her hot chocolate, she doesn't remember doing it and I am the only other person around so all suspicion immediately falls on me. I had to smile sweetly and tell her I had no idea where the coins could have come from. Luckily the interrogation doesn't last too long.
So day one is safely behind me and tomorrow I will navigate my way to work through Southall. I am sure I am going to have many more surreal evenings like the one that just passed - if I start repeating myself constantly you all know why!!
P.S in the course of writing this post Dot has tried to put me to bed twice. Scratch that 3 times.
