Fun with Alzheimer's

My mom was an elementary school teacher for 44 years. She had that certain commanding presence that school teachers often have. As her senile dementia progressed, and after a fall that broke her hip, we moved her into a nursing home to be with my dad (who had had a major debilitating stroke and lived there 3 years before mom joined him).

One day, at lunch, my mom and dad along with 20 or so other residents, were eating lunch in the dining room. When the staff left them to take trays to others in their rooms, my mom stood up and clapped her hands.

“Attention…attention everyone! The bus to take us all home will be here in 15 minutes! Please finish eating and go to your room to pack your belongings to go home! Thank you!”

Maybe it was her commanding elementary teacher voice…or maybe it was just the news that everyone wanted to hear. But…all of the residents got up and went to their rooms. When the staff returned after delivering trays, the dining room was empty.

“Where is everyone?” Sue asked Becky. “I don’t know but we’d better go see,” Becky replied.

Sue and Becky went to Mrs. Gradison’s room and found her organizing and packing her belongings. “What are you doing?” they asked. “Well,” Mrs. Gradison replied, “Mrs. Linn just announced that the bus was coming soon to take us all home and I’m packing.”

“NO…” they both replied. “I’m sorry, but Mrs. Linn was confused and there is no bus.” Mrs. Gradison looked crestfallen and went back to the dining room to resume eating. In room after room, Becky and Sue found residents packing and they had to break the bad news and get everyone back on task.

When they arrived in my mom’s room, they asked, “Edith, why did you tell everyone that the bus was coming?” She replied, “Well, I heard the bell ring and that means the buses are lined up and ready to take the kids home!”

“OH…” they both replied. That made sense! She thought she was back at school and the bus was a SCHOOL bus.

That evening, when everyone was seated in the dining room for dinner, and the aides had left to go deliver trays, my mother stood up, clapped her hands once more and said, “Attention…”

Guess all the residents that, once again, left to pack had forgotten the earlier incident!

Kim Woodward is owner of Senior Helpers, an in-home care and companionship company in Avon, IN. She left the corporate rat race to pursue her passion: helping seniors and their primary caregivers cope with needs in a loving, home setting. You can contact Kim at the Avon, IN office of Senior Helpers at (317) 718-1806.