A little Update...

I started my new job this week. I am now employed at Evenglow Inn. It's really different than what I've done in the past. I still wipe butts, do showers, dress people, etc. But now I also do activities, housekeeping, laundry, and soon...cooking! I'm definately nervous about that last one....me? Having to cook for 30 people? Oh, my! All the people there have either alzheimers or age related dementia. That tends to make this job a lot more taxing on my mind because I have to stay ahead of the game. Sometimes I stop and look around and think...what am I doing here? I feel slow, lost, and in-over-my-head sometimes. But then moments like these happen...

There is a guy named Warren there. He has alzheimer's and you have to be slow and talk soft around him. If he feels threatened in any way, he may hit you. Basically, when you can get him washed up for bed, you'd better do it! No matter what time it is! So, my trainer Linda was getting him ready for bed tonight and I was watching TV with Warren's sister. All the sudden I hear "Help!" coming from his room. I get up and run over and Linda is holding his pajama pants and warren is in the corner holding tightly to his khakis! She said she needed a second person. So, we held his hands and pulled down the pants. He then proceeded to sit down so we couldn't do anything else. Linda looked stressed and I was thinking, "What are we gonna do? We have to get something on him?" As soon as I thought that, a plan popped in my mind! I told Linda to put a new pull-up and his pants on around his ankles. I got a rag and towel ready. As he stood up, we ripped off the old pull-up, cleaned him, pulled up his new one and his pj's. Success! Sweet success!

It is at moments like these that I feel ahead of the game! Woohoo!

So far, I've encountered wanderers (who like to walk around and hate sitting for meals), a southern drama queen, a woman we affectionately call Mama who carries a doll (named either Roger or Emily) and loves anything chocolate, a woman who has a hard time hearing herself so she yells all the time, people who LOVE to lay in bed, a person who hates to eat, and many more.

Here are some quirky things about alzhiemer's patients:

~they begin to hate water as their disease progresses
~they have a hard time with changes of color on the floor (they think it's a hole)
~they don't like loud noises
~towards the end (their death) they start to see kids or their parents

I feel really special when I work with these people! I'm excited about this job and I will keep you posted and tell you all funny stories.
~lola~