Fun with Alzheimer's

Nope...still not fun. But, funny? Yes!

So, I've shared with you that my mom had Alzheimer's and that she was a former school teacher. One day, at the nursing home where she and my dad lived, she had an idea.

Outside their window was a school. She noticed it and decided she needed a job there.

The nursing home had her cuffed with a sensing device that sounded an alarm if she went out through any door. She quickly figured out that, to silence it, you could wrap your hand around it and it wouldn't go off.

I had talked to the staff about mom's condition. I said, "About the only thing I can't stand the thought of is her wandering out in the cold and freezing to death." They assured me that they would do their utmost to prevent that.

One November afternoon, I got a call at work. The nurse that took care of mom and dad's wing told me that she had wandered away and they were looking for her. I said I'd leave right away and come to search for her, but the trip from my downtown office to the nursing home would take 30 minutes or more. Shaking, I left work, got in my car and started driving. About 10 minutes into the trip, I got another call that she had been found, safe and sound.

When I arrived, I found out the following:

Mom had silenced her cuff and headed out the back door toward the school. In a wheelchair, she had scooted across the parking lot, across a baseball diamond, across the school driveway and to the front door. She went inside, found the office and announced, "Hi! I'm Edith Linn and I've been a teacher for many years. I'm not working right now and I need a job...here...several days a week." The school secretary smiled and said, "Well, I think we can use you. Let me just make a call." She called the adjacent nursing home and said, "I think we have one of your folks over here."

When I arrived, the nursing staff directed me to the school. I went inside to find the director of the nursing home, my mom, the secretary and the school principal waiting for me. Mom was entertaining everyone with stories of her 44 year teaching career. They were all laughing and enjoying her stories. I said to her, "Mom, we need to get back home. School's over for today. Let's go."

The secretary asked, "She's such a sweetie! Could I go over and get her a couple of days a week and have her sit with me? It seems that she really misses being in school."

"Are you serious?" I asked. "You don't have to do that."

"I know," she replied. "But I think she would really enjoy it. We could have her staple things or stuff envelopes for us."

"Okay," I said. "I think she'd enjoy it, too."

So, she got the job! From that point forward, she would get up every day, get dressed, put on her makeup, fix her hair, and get ready for work. It gave her a purpose.

God bless the people who understand that, like children, it takes a whole village!

Kim is the owner of Senior Helpers of Avon, an in-home care and companionship company specializing in matching quality caregivers with clients. Go to www.seniorhelpers.com or email her at kwoodward@seniorhelpers.com for more information.