I visited my mother several days ago. She is almost 96 years old and has had Alzheimer’s for more than 10 years. Her money ran out in January from the remainder of my father’s life insurance since he died 3 years ago. It was a busy time for me looking around at nursing homes, hiring a lawyer, establishing a Qualified Income Trust, and applying for Medicaid.

Medicaid

Fortunately, we got lucky and somebody passed away a fews earlier and there was an opening so we jumped at the opportunity and moved my Mom right away. So she has now been on Medicaid pending status effective February 1st while we’re waiting approval in several months. It’s a very nice facility with above average ratings, and she’s getting much better care now that she was in the memory care unit of the assisted living facility where she had been living for over 7 years.

Volleyball

In fact, the Activity (“Wellness and Life Enrichment”) Director is great since she had been at the nursing home where my father was during his last year. She was so good with my Dad and now she gets to know her too. She told me recently that she had my Mom playing “volleyball” (where they bounce balloons around each other from their wheelchairs) after she told her that she needed more people to help her and my Mom said “sure!”. Maybe she will get her more involved with some of their activities like she did with my Dad.

Care

Actually my Mom is doing quite well considering her age. She’s always in good spirits, smiling, and happy most of the time. She usually stills knows who I am, and also my wife and siblings. That day we woke her up and she was somewhat groggy for a bit and slightly confused. However, as she came to, she was responding to my wife, but I didn’t register with her at all. That was rather strange because she normally can’t keep her eyes off me, wants to hug and kiss me, and tells me that she loves me (constantly). Not this time. So my wife was getting her attention, and she pretty much ignored me.

Sayings

Since I wasn’t that busy, but just a spectator this time, I was observing the “conversation”. Actually she can’t really put more than a few words together at a time before she forgets what she wants to say. So everything is rather short, with many of the same expressions. So I thought it might be interesting to capture some of them on my iPhone. Here’s the intermittent dialogue.

I don’t know
Okay
Right
No, I don’t think so
You’re wonderful
I love you
Yeah
Thank you
That’s about it
Well …
That’s the way it goes