MOM'S NEW HOME

Last week I moved my Mom into a care home. She is transitioning well I think. There are lots of things for her to do and although she still complains she is bored, I think mostly it is a memory issue as she is participating in all kids of activities. Today I went to the Mother's Day tea. They encourage family members to take part in all these functions if they can. Next week there is a dinner social!
A man named George Ellenton was the entertainer at today's tea and he imitates Frank Sinatra and does a very nice job of it, the patients all seemed to be enjoying themselves and the staff members were going around and encouraging them to get up and dance!

 This photo was at Happy Hour last Thursday, the home has Hilary on piano and vocals and another fellow with a guitar who also sings. They serve soft drinks and chips and candy and cheezies and pass out hand held instruments and the patients all sing along. Mom really enjoyed it!

 This is Mom's room. She has her own room and we went a bought a comfortable chair and TV and telephone so she has many of the comforts of home. Not quite the same but more choices than at the hospital she came from.

 When I arrived today, loaded down with bags and bundles of food as usual, I went to Mom's room and put everything away. (Since her stroke she is always hungry and goes through massive amounts of food in addition to all that is available to her there)I had also taken her roses for Mother's Day so got them into water and then went to hunt for her. I couldn't find her anywhere! I ran into Hilary the music coordinator who was also looking for her and the hunt began...we searched all over the second floor and no one had seen her...hmmm....as she hasn't mastered the key codes to get off the floor yet, we couldn't figure out where she could have gone....someone suggested we check the first floor just in case.....and look who we found...immersed in a game of Bingo with the other patients in the main floor games room....hmmm....I never would have guessed that one...I asked her if she wanted to go to the tea for Mother's Day or stay and play bingo and she decided to go to the tea. One of the many, many volunteers came and said she had brought her down to play and would play her card and if she won anything, would have it put on her account...I guess they have small cash prizes. She also said she would come and get her on Saturday to play again.... Yeah...this means she is doing activities and that is such a good thing for my peace of mind.
This is a nonprofit society care home and they care for their patients using the Eden Alternative approach which addresses the three "plagues" of long term care, loneliness, helplessness and boredom. Each principal they use is developed to de-institutionalize care homes and to encourage a healthy human community for the elders living in long term care facilities. From what I have seen so far, their approach is very kind, supportive and caring and between the staff and the many volunteers, they are striving to make the lives of the elderly happy and give them a good quality of life in their later years.

 The Mother's Day Tea...that orange stuff was very "orange"....not quite sure what it was, a mousse of some kind I think. Then they had chocolate covered strawberries and of course tea!

 Behind the balloons is the entertainer George Ellenton, he did a fabulous job and he also had a great sense of humor...not sure if all the patients got his jokes but the family members in attendance did.

 This sweetheart of a lady is Marivic and she is wonderful. She gets the patients up and moving and she is full of bubbling energy. She always has a smile for them all and everyone loves her.She is also very encouraging to family members, she listens well and welcomes hints that help her to get the patient involved and active.

Mom enjoyed her dance! I hung out with her a little longer then left as they were getting ready to have their dinner in the dining room!