Well, now apparently my mom's new "thing" is to turn her heat off completely when she leaves her apartment or goes to bed. It's too cold outside now to be doing that. I'm not sure how I'm going to get her to understand she just needs to turn the temperature down some, if she wants, not turn the whole thing off. On the camera this morning I heard K say, when she came into her apartment, it's cold in here, you have your heat turned off. Maybe a note taped to her heating unit. It's like one of those heat/ac type units that you find in hotel rooms. Next visit I'll get a note set up for it and see if that works.
Last night she was confused - about where she lives, which I'm starting to notice her doing this more often now. I think she thinks she's in a hotel. The assist. caregiver was late getting there to give out her meds, so at 6:30 her med dispenser will start chiming (every 5 minutes) and she thinks it's the phone ringing. She called me to see if I just called and I missed the call so she left a voicemail. She was totally calm, saying she thought maybe I just called and maybe she'll try calling me back in the morning....and then says "I'm in a...oh gosh, what do you call it...well it's an actual room with a bed and all that, but it's usually in where there's business's and stuff and you can stay here, which I'll be staying here". I called her back about 5 min later (and got her to take her meds) and again she mentioned she was in an apartment...well, it's weird, I don't know how to explain it. well I guess it's my apartment... and I told her again, yes that is her apartment where she has lived for 2 1/2 years.
I'm getting laundry and housework done this morning. Then our retired friend stopped in for his regular visits. I just had lunch and am waiting for my 2nd load to get washed so I can get it in the dryer and then probably go take a nap. My internal alarm clock keeps waking me up at 5:45 to 6am, because it thinks it's 7am. So, I've been awake awhile. I finally got up at 6:50 and dh says what are you doing. I said my head still thinks it's 7am. He said I need a new head.
After nap I plan to make some more snickerdoodle cookies. I only kept about 6 from the batch I made for dd and of course we ate all those on Tuesday. I've been wanting more.
I hope a note works. I'm so sorry for your mom, but you are doing all you can. We're debating on cookies. Just got pepper jelly made and now am exhausted with this cold. Daughter's here and I have her making chili.
ReplyDeleteSometimes a note helps a bit, it's always worth a try. I don't know what pepper jelly is!
DeleteHas a note helped with anything lately? Can you tell her turning the thermostat off is not allowed? Can the helper come in the latest she is there and turn it back on? Can you pay to have a thermostat controlled remotely installed? She can get hypothermia from the cold all night.
ReplyDeleteWith all my trouble sleeping, the time change has not affected me one bit! Even when I slept well, it did not affect me. Cookies should help everything. Has your cat been affected by the time change? I think that my friend's dog is affected. I wrote about that on Friday.
the note that seems to be working ok is the note taped to the bowl for her keys. When they come back from dinner, if it's turned down/off they turn it on (it's the first thing mom does when she walks back into her apt). It cannot be remotely controlled or even locked. My cat hasn't seemed to be affected by the time change. I know our dogs always were, but they had set feeding times.
DeleteWhen we bought our current home, the previous owner had placed locks over the thermostats. They were clear plastic boxes that locked (he claimed his kids kept messing with them). Not sure the assisted living place would allow them, but maybe a possibility? You could have it set at a constant temperature (and maybe let the caregivers know where the key was).
ReplyDeleteSomething thin like a knitting needle can go into the holes in the cover to change the thermostat to change the temp, but don't let her see this...lol.
Deleteit's not a wall thermostat that a cover/lock can be placed on, it's one of those wall units, under the window, like in hotel rooms
DeleteYes I was going to say you may need to get a cover/lock system put on. Thank god for your home care helpers at this point.
ReplyDeleteI don't think there is any way to do a lock system for this type of heater - it's one of those wall units that sit under the window, like they always have in hotel rooms.
DeleteThat's a pretty Christmas card photo!
ReplyDeleteThe pic your dh took is also very nice.
I'm glad your mom has people looking out for her who know what they're doing.
Thank you! - I am really glad she has the help, too.
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