"Don White" wrote in message
...


It's taken 15 months but we finally have mom settled in the nicest nursing
home in the Halifax area. (physical structure anyway)


Congratulations. That is quite an accomplishment and I mean that sincerely.
Hope she (and you) can relax and enjoy the rest of the time she has left on
this earth.

We are going through the initial stages of the same thing, except there're
three elders to consider.
My 80 year old mother moved into the old farmhouse at the end of our
driveway after my dad passed away 7 years ago. She's done very well
maintaining her independence, learning how to use a computer for email and
ordering items on the Internet or shopping for food using the home delivery
service, "PeaPod". Unfortunately, her ability to live alone is coming to
an end, however.

She has a rare form of MS that is very slow progressing, but over time it
robs her of her mobility. When she first moved in, she could still get
around with the aid of a walker. Now, she's confined to a wheelchair and,
unfortunately it's becoming very difficult and dangerous for her to transfer
herself from it to the bath or bed. Last week she fell at 6AM. She wears
one of those "Help, I fell and can't get up" transmitters. It
automatically called both the paramedics and our house. It took three of us
to get her off the floor and back into the wheelchair. She's not that
heavy, but it's like picking up a wet noodle because she has very little
strength to hold on. This wasn't the first emergency call to 911. It's
starting to become more and more regular.

Anyway, she seemed fine until the day before yesterday. She can't feel much
in her legs, but complained about a sore ankle.
Took her to the hospital and sure enough. It was broken in three places.
So now she's in a cast from toe to knee for the next 6-8 weeks.

It's time for assisted living, except I have some concern that she may not
qualify. You have to be able to transfer yourself from the wheelchair to
bed, etc. in most places. I am afraid a nursing home may be in order, much
to her dismay. I really don't know what else to do. We may have waited
too long, having her live in the old house we bought.

Meanwhile, Mrs.E.'s parents are in a similar situation. Her mother has
about the same mobility as mine and needs daily assistance.
Her father suffered a stroke a year or so ago and really isn't all there.
He acts and thinks like a five or six year old. Caring for them keeps my
wife and her sister constantly busy and there's always the fear in the back
of your minds that something stupid is going to happen. The other day her
father decided to turn the self-clean cycle of the stove on, but forgot to
take out a bunch of pots and pans with plastic handles. Set off all the
fire alarms and filled the house with smoke.

We knew this day was coming. It's one of the primary reasons we ended up
selling the properties in Florida and gave up living down there during the
winter.

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