Liz mentions pet visitation at nursing homes, hospitals and other places in her post about Assiated-Animal Therapy.  When my mom lived at a nursing home during the last years of her Alzheimer’s journey, I often saw the pleasure pet visitation brought to patients there.
Generally once a week, someone brought pets to visit the patients…for them to watch, to pet, and to hold.  Smiles appeared on the residents’ faces, their moods brightened, and often they began telling stories about pets they had owned at one time in their lives.
Perhaps it was a pet they had as a child.  Or it could have been a …read more

When my mom entered the nursing home, among the admission paperwork and medical history, was a questionnaire about her likes and dislikes, family background, career, where she’d lived, etc.  Also, the dieticians wanted to know about any food allergies, of course.  They also wanted me to list her favorite foods and those she disliked.
Eventually, they asked me to put together a small photo album with pictures of family members, as well as her most recent home and girlhood home, if possible.
All of this helped the staff know my mom better and hopefully care for her better.  I felt this showed …read more

Most nursing homes where Alzheimer’s patients live have parties to celebrate holidays and special occasions.  My family and I tried to attend as many of these as possible, even after Mother no longer knew what the festive occasion meant.
I found this a way to share with Mother in this new life that had come upon her. Hopefully we made her journey through Alzhemer’s more pleasant.  Sometimes it would be an event with all the residents.  Other times we had just a family party.
I recall Jim and I having one Thanksgiving dinner at the nursing home with Mother, who thought we’d …read more

Families often become frustrated when they find items missing from their family member’s room at a nursing home.  Clothing, pictures, cards, shoes, jewelry disappear and they often blame the staff or another resident.
Even though items disappear, it may not occur consciously.  The person with Alzheimer’s truly thinks it’s their property, even though these are  possessions belonging in someone else’s room.
“Look at the lovely birthday cards I received,” Mother commented. 
“It’s not your birthday, Mother,” I answered.
Mother insisted it was and that the cards were from various friends and relatives.  However, these cards were addressed to someone else at the nursing home …read more

A nurse caring for my mom at the nursing home explained that knowing more about the residents’ lives aided staff in caring for them.  Since Alzheimer’s patients often think they’re living in the past or speak of people in their past, information about these events and persons aid nurses and aides in relating to them.
“Did your mother ever work in a grocery store?” one nurse asked me.
“Yes, she owned and operated a small country grocery store,” I answered.
“That explains it,” Patty said.  “Last night she wanted to wake up the residents in her suite because they hadn’t purchased anything.  She also keeps talking about …read more