Mom is still adjusting to being a widow. A main sadness is lack of company or things to keep her busy. Her knitting helps, when she remembers it or is not tired of it. She also has been enjoying getting Christmas cards. She keeps on talking of writing up some to send out, but I doubt her attention span and memory will be such that she will ever get them out. She does think of many people, and has not forgotten her friends and family.
She is usually OK, but once in a while gets lonely.
She had a doctor appointment on Thursday. Her blood sugar level was really good, at 95. In general, she seems healthy. Mom asked if there was anything that could be done to help her memory. (I think it is worse than it was a couple months ago, in some respects.) The doctor said she needs some people to talk to. Being alone too much is not helping her memory.
The social worker that is affiliated with the doctor had her second and last visit on Friday. She recommended, but did not require, assisted living for Mom. In other words, Mom and I would get benefit from some of the services, but there is not an urgent safety need for them. Mom is still adamant about not moving, although sometimes she is open to considering a senior apartment. She wants to stay in the same area, and not move closer to me, because she knows that area, and would feel like she would have to learn where all the stores are in a new area.
The social worker also gave some recommendations on home care / private duty care providers, a new louder phone, and on pill dispensers that are timed to help Mom remember to take her medicine. The pill dispenser comes with a monthly charge for a monitoring service, so that does not really sound like what we want.
The phone answering machine quit working about a week ago. I am not planning on replacing it because Mom had a lot of trouble with it anyway. Without one, the phone can keep ringing, giving her more time to hear it, and get to it.
Today Mom came and visited our house for the first time. She said she had a good time. We wanted to get her away for the day, because 45 years ago today, Mom and Dad were married.
So I would say things are going OK, but not great near term, and still a lot of uncertainly long term. I am glad Mom is safe and healthy.
