What if you develop Dementia?

  Hello All
Many thanks for your comments on my last post.
Welcome to Chris Moorwood on the Follower bar and Crafty Mum, Sharon Deasy, Beth and The Pumpkin Life on Blog Lovin.
                                                        Last week I popped in on an dear old friend of ours. We have known S and his sweet wife C. since our eldest were little. They are smallholders too, buying their place the year before we did ours. For many years C. has been the carer for S. who has mobility and sight difficulties. They have mucked along well, with a busy lifestyle and many friends. Unfortunately C. has developed dementia, which has raced along . Reluctantly S. has had to make arrangements for C. to go into a home. (racing after someone who has "escaped" again in the middle of the country when you can only shuffle a few steps is an impossible task) Finding the right place for an active "fit as a butchers dog" 70 year old has been problematical as she won't stay in one place long and is constantly finding things to do..... "helping" other residents in and out of bed, moving the fire extinguisher, packing other residents belongings up etc.. you get the idea. As yet the right place hasn't been found that can meet C's needs. As a retired Social Worker I have a pretty good idea of the difficulties of finding a good "fit" for residential care and individuals and feel for S as he has to deal with his anxiety for C's welfare and the "guilt" he feels because he can't look after her himself.
How many of us make plans for our retirement, often moving to the country or the sea, thinking that we might eventually have to downsize a little or cut down on the number of animals we are going to keep,We then see our future as just doing a little less, as we knit and sew and go for little walks or out to lunch with friends as we slow down? Do we give any thought to be mentally unable? I certainly haven't, I now have food for thought.

Yesterday the family came for tea as usual. EGD had found a site that has a sale of dress patterns. We had already decided that we were going to make dresses for ourselves this year and had drawn a blank at the CSs. We spent a happy hour choosing patterns and are now looking forward to the patterns arriving and us choosing the material. I think we will have to go into Derby for the material, as there are a couple of large material stalls at the Eagle Centre Market. So long a they don't make me go into the HUGE shopping centre which used to be Westfield.(don't know its new name) This centre is a huge soulless mall that has all the "big" names and absolutely no character or individuality. If ever I have to go there (M&S Jeans) I emerge a husk,  The site we used was  "Sew essential" - New Look patterns. The patterns were half price which is a great saving.

Last week, after I got back from visiting S., David and I started to get the veg beds ready. A good start was made, after a shower I started the emails that I am tasked to send on behalf of the Civic Society and I really felt we were getting on well. Huh!
The next morning I could hardly move as my back had "gone", I shuffled around like a cross between Quasimodo and Julie Walter's serving soup. That put paid to any heavy gardening, but here was till much to do in the house. The next morning (Friday) I woke up rolled over and was immediately sick. B****r. the sicky/fally-over thing that put me in hospital a couple of times last year was back. Fortunately I have some anti-sickness pills for it (which don't seem to work) and an understanding of what was happening to me. So I have been sitting down getting increasingly frustrated while I got my balance back.
Today I am more my old self and feeling positive that I am on the mend.

Tonight David and I are going to view some pigs. I am very excited! Will let you know how I get on.
Take Care all
Gillx