August In Florida....Are You Kidding???

I'M BACK

It’s August in Florida with hot steamy temps everyday, not the best time of the year to be here but I am.  I’m taking over for the month while my brother and his family take a week long cruise in the Caribbean.  Every care giver needs time off and I hope they are enjoying their vacation. 

After taking a red eye out from LA, I arrived bleary eyed to my brother’s house only to find that my Mom wasn’t there.   My brother had told Mom, the night before that I was arriving in the morning (that was a mistake).  Soon after he left for the airport, Mom got up told my sister-in-law she wanted to go to her house to clean up; my sister-in-law went back to sleep (another mistake), after telling Mom to go back to bed.  So Mom, got dressed, packed a small backpack, grabbed her purse and a big pink umbrella and off she went, out the front door, past 2 sleeping teenagers.  We found her over a mile away, just walking down the road.  She was easy to spot, with her big pink umbrella she was the only little old lady walking down the road in the hot morning sun.  That was my first panic and there are always more in store.  Reading this you must think…there are a few things that could have been done differently:

1. Not tell her I was coming.
2. Take her along to the airport.
3. Once alerted that she wanted to go home, stay alert.
4. Equip the door with an alarm.
5. Have an ID bracelet on her

Those are all good and recommended ideas but it just doesn’t happen, people have limitations, some more than others, enough said.

At 94 my mother is still physically strong, determined and stubborn, combine that with a good dose of dementia and she can be exhausting.

Later in the day Mom was complaining that her leg was aching, I just smiled and thought I’m in for an interesting month.