Soon after she reached the apartment Margie's daughter's took off to go get the rest of her belongings from the nursing home. I was left alone with Margie for the first time ever. To be honest I was very scared but excited.
Margie and I sat outside on our patio for the hour that her daughters were gone and talked about the clouds and how the looked like cotton candy. She kept bringing up her dad and I wasn't sure how to answer at that moment so I kept changing the subject to the trees and grass and birds and anything that I could think of. It worked for a moment and would repeat.
When Margie's daughters got back I felt relief. I can't lie. I was glad they were back to help me. This was my first job taking care of someone so intensely and I wasn't sure how to handle every situation or how to reply when she brought up her deceased parents.
So when they got back, I got to observe how they handled her. I got to see their tricks to make her feel better when she got nervous and upset. I felt better knowing those little things, but I was still nervous to be on my own. Thankfully though, Margie's daughter Pat stayed with me the first week and helped me get Margie settled into her new home.
At the end of my first day I felt relief. That first day I learned a lot. I think back on that day now and it feels so long ago. I no longer feel nervous or scared. I know Margie so well now and know how to handle almost every situation. But I know that I will learn even more in the future. With dementia every day is different.
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