How exciting! This morning, Etta and I took a short trip out of the Alzheimer's unit to the Laurel's Beauty Shop. Etta was a bit apprehensive at first. She wanted to know how far, for how long, with who, what to do, and who was paying for it...each question was patiently answered multiple times before we proceeded with the plans. Ater about 90 minutes, she had a new look. The expression on her face was priceless. It was difficult to watch her get her hair washed. She couldn't sit in the "regular" chair that reclines to the wash basin. And yet, she couldn't put her neck back either. I held up a vinyl cover around her ears and her face to keep the water and soap from dripping. She was less than comfortable for a few brief minutes. I'm fairly certain that I wasn't any more comfortable either as a I had to literally straddle her wheelchair to accomplish my task. Oh what a sight!
Etta enjoyed chatting it up with a couple of the ladies in the salon. She doesn't initiate socializing with the other residents, but does follow my lead/prompting. It isn't that she is not interested in being friendly or social, but as though she has lost her confidence in being so. Once she gets that little push, she is off and running, figuratively, of course...
James was very happy to see Etta return to the unit. He is VERY protective of her and doesn't like her to leave his sight. I could tell it lifted her spirits to see his expression when she entered the room. "There's my pretty girl," He called.
Etta insists that the photo taken of us just a couple of weeks ago is not her with me. I have to remind myself again that I have to put myself in her reality. I ask, "Well, who is that?" Etta said, "That lady with the fat face is not me!" Well, first, let me clarify the photo doesn't depict anyone with a fat face...LOL. Etta then said, "I know who it is. It is one of our old customers. She came to visit and that was when that picture was taken." Though I really wanted Etta to cherish that picture of her and I together, I had to let it go. And so, I responded, "That was so nice of her to visit you both."
Etta enjoyed chatting it up with a couple of the ladies in the salon. She doesn't initiate socializing with the other residents, but does follow my lead/prompting. It isn't that she is not interested in being friendly or social, but as though she has lost her confidence in being so. Once she gets that little push, she is off and running, figuratively, of course...
James was very happy to see Etta return to the unit. He is VERY protective of her and doesn't like her to leave his sight. I could tell it lifted her spirits to see his expression when she entered the room. "There's my pretty girl," He called.
Etta insists that the photo taken of us just a couple of weeks ago is not her with me. I have to remind myself again that I have to put myself in her reality. I ask, "Well, who is that?" Etta said, "That lady with the fat face is not me!" Well, first, let me clarify the photo doesn't depict anyone with a fat face...LOL. Etta then said, "I know who it is. It is one of our old customers. She came to visit and that was when that picture was taken." Though I really wanted Etta to cherish that picture of her and I together, I had to let it go. And so, I responded, "That was so nice of her to visit you both."