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11/22/13

Winter Safety

11/22/2013
anti-icing trucks spray the roads in prep for snow in Minnesota
It's been a hectic week with lots of therapists visiting the home, usually two or three appts a day. In between we try to get Pat out for a walk around the block practicing "stand tall" and "kick your heel" to help use the walker properly and effectively. Pat is doing well and improving every day. We have learned how to get up from a fall by crawling to some furniture and using it to pull ourselves off the floor. We have learned proper technique to transfer from the walker to sitting in a chair. Today the assignment for Pat is to get dressed independently and for us caregivers to not assist unless safety is an issue. It's been an hour and Pat is not dressed yet. Distraction in the culprit, Pat wanting to put away clothes, and pull out three pairs of pants and 3 different sweaters. We have a therapist coming in and 1 1/2 hours so we'll see if we can get out for a lap around the block. It's 16F and sunny. Its cold but the snow never happened, really so the streets are dry.

I've been successful in going for a 2 mile walk outside everyday with my dad. We call it our power walk, although it tires him out when we have a busy day. There have been many days when I don't even get a minute to get on the computer. I am glad the therapists want us to let Pat have as much independence as possible and to back off fetching and helping for everything. I haven't been sleeping well with getting up several times a night to ensure Pats safety during night time bathroom breaks. We also have successfully given up naps, night time snacks and drinking. This routine of a regular bedtime and wake up time is working and helps to ensure Pat is rested and focused more during the day. There is still a lot of work to do with cognition, as distractions are everywhere for Pat. But things are going well and we are getting trained as caregivers as well so that the future will be safer for Pat.

I've included a picture of this truck I saw the other day spraying anti-icing agent on the road in preparation for some snow we were supposed to get. It really is a miserable existence in this cold climate, don't let anyone tell you "It's not that bad" because it really is "not that nice".
 
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