Mom, Lets Exercise (7/11/19) Alzheimer’s

I got to mom shortly after breakfast. After fixing her hair, we strolled through the hallways. This sign was posted in one of the activity rooms. ‘Perfect’, I thought. Exercise from a chair!

Mom and I walked in and mom chose a seat. I pulled a chair up next to her. She was happy. While waiting for the class to begin, mom told me that her words were coming back. She was right. This morning she had been relatively coherent. It made me happy seeing her happiness.

Mom did well raising her legs simultaneously. She struggled alternating her arms. I had to place one arm on her knee while raising the other arm. Eventually she understood and could do it. After 15 minutes, I noticed that mom was beginning to ‘zone’ out and loose her enthusiasm. I asked her if she wanted to Face Time Ali. That perked her up. We walked outside and sat. I FT her husband. It took her about 2 minutes to understand that she was seeing him on the phone, but when she realized who she was talking to, her face lit up! She told him that she loved him!

When the conversation ended, I took her back inside. It was time to play Bingo. She loves this game. She was given her card and began reading it. She was very proud of herself! (I am trying to figure out how to upload videos to WP via You Tube so I can share with you.) To say I was proud of her was an understatement!

Mom was giving her chips to mark her card. Before she even touched them, she told the lady sitting with us that she could take her favorite colors. (The lady was not interested. She was ‘lost’ in the oldies music playing on the speakers.) Mom’s compassion towards her friends was evident! It is hard for me to witness when the friends don’t respond to her kindness! I understand that this disease does not always allow positive responses. I have witnessed mom and her negative responses towards kind gestures. Understanding that this is normal behavior, does not eradicate the hurt. We want kindness to be reciprocated by kindness.