Mental Decline & Dependency/Coping With Aging Loved Ones

Mental Decline
The trouble with me is not so much getting behind on bought-and-paid-for magazines, as bought-and-paid-for books.



These are only a few of the books I've actually purchased this year (having, as I very well know, no space on my shelves, of course) and there they are piled up on top of each other, calling to me - and to my conscience because books ain't cheap, even used ones which I get whenever I can. But by dint of discipline I get through a little of one or two each day , so progress is being made. Unfortunately, for every book I've got waiting in the wings, a couple more come jumping out at me from the reviews, and I fall into temptation once more. It's like the frog in the well, I guess.

Equally unfortunately, they tend to be fairly long and require a reasonable amount of attention; they are mostly not for skimming. One exception is Alan Bennett's The Uncommon Reader (I know I mentioned this before, but can't recall if it was on this thread or some other). This is not one of the long ones; in fact it's extremely short, but repays attention, not skimming.

Right now I'm deep into the audio tape of A Tree Grows in Brooklyn; I'm enjoying it as much as I did when it first came out, so that's very satisfying. I've also ordered the audio tape of Dickens' Our Mutual Friend; it's very long, so should see me through at least one baby afghan, perhaps even more, and I'm hoping to find a copy of The Old Curiosity Shop and maybe Little Dorrit. I read all these to Bob many years ago, and some I've reread since, several more than once, but the tapes get me through very dull things like the treadmill, ironing, and similar, as well as more interesting things like knitting and jigsaw puzzles.

One thing that annoys me is that fewer and fewer books are coming our on tape; they are mostly on CDs, which mostly means abridged - I don't know why. And a CD player isn't anywhere near as convenient, since you need one hand to carry the player whereas you can hook a Walkman to your belt or slip it in a pocket, leaving both hands free.

Goodness I get gabby at 2:35 in the morning! I'd better get back to bed and carry on traveling The Shadow of the Silk Road with Mr Thubron...

TomKitten--

My stash of reading is probably less erudite than your stash of reading, but it may be larger. When I discover an author I like and check out Amazon's Second Hand I can usually buy all other books by that author for a reasonable amount of money and give myself the joy of little personalized treats arriving in my mailbox.

I haven't done my New Book order this month. I don't "need" more books. My current backlog would probably take me through August. All the same, I'm looking forward to writing out that order.

Alcoholics and druggies don't have the restraint to stockpile their vices. You and I are a superior breed of addict.

Butrflynet--

I hope I wasn't too harsh. Christmas is a pressure time for me and I'm not always terribly civilized.

Mental Decline & Dependency/Coping With Aging Loved Ones
Noddy - My reading isn't all that erudite. I only buy books that I know will take me longer than the public library allows (or that I know I want to keep). That way I can take my time with the "erudite" stuff, and whisk through the lighter things borrowed from the P.L. This approach applies to audio tapes, as well.

I know that buying a book will cost more than any P.L. fines, short of actual replacement but then I often pass on the ones I enjoyed to a cousin, and she enjoys it next. So we get extra mileage and my financial conscience feels better.

I realize that most of the books I buy won't be kept, but reasonably gently used ones don't cost as much, and there are always a few that I'm sure to enjoy all over again in a few years; this applies particularly to books about life in the Victorian period. Of course, "a few years" may not, at my age, be such a long time, but that's a different story. Meanwhile, I enjoy what I've got.

I also go in for orgies - it was Harry Potter, now Angela Thirkell, and the time is about ripe for a siege of Georgette Heyer's Regency novels.

So mother was tranferred from the hospital to the seniors home today.

"It was a doozie!" literally what the ward's head nurse reporterd to the home.

I had to thank everybody a lot.
Especially the ambulance personal: at first they didn't want to drive mother (due to legal reasons: she refused to go [you certainly don't want to read the details]. But then, after some talks with me, the doctor and the [four] nurses, the ambulance people suddenly got some trouble with their hearing ...

It took only little time in the home to make mother feel a bit .... more comfortable.

[All the time, in the background so to say, everyone was prepared to get an urgent involuntary commitment.]

------------------

My sister and family had some nice time with mother this afternoon.
And though I have been there three times today - I'm awfully sorry about it, but unfortunately I missed them.

Mental Decline


Selective hearing can be very convenient.

Aw, Walter, how sad that you missed your sister, et al.

What a day for Walter!

Yep. I think he needs another RV trip with Dys.

Walter--

Moved on the 27th--right on schedule.

Such a shame that the family reunion didn't work out, but perhaps next year...or even for Easter?

I could image it will be on the next possible .... 30th of February.

Walter, I'm glad you got your mother settled in spite of your sister's "help." I hope you get some rest now.

30th of February: that'll take some extra large leap...

Mother does very well, to our (all) great surprise; she seems to feel quite comfortable "in her new home".
Okay, she gets sometimes confused where she actually is - especially, since some dozen of persons are living there as well, who she knows by sight or personally.

Aunt isn't doing good - it's not clear if she can move from the ward in the psychiatric hospital to the seniors home on Thursday, as planned.


A happy new year to all!

Happy New Year to you, Walter. I'm happy to hear that your mother is adjusting. That must be such a releif to you and Ulla. Sorry about auntiie, though. I hope she'll make it there in time.

very best wishes to you all Walter and Ulla and to all in Germany

I am pleased to hear about your mother, Walter. (And sorry for your aunt.)

Walter- Glad your mom is doing better. Maybe this will be the start of a more peaceful New Year for your family!!!

Have a Happy!

Thanks.

Relief, well, yes. But I'm still a tiny bit (got better from day to day) nervous, unsettled ...
However, I'm quite aware that now others are looking after her, on a 24/24 basis. :wink:

That's only natural. She's been your constant concern for may years. Now you need to trust others to take over.

What Swimpy said, Walter. You will adjust to having others taking care of your mother 24 hours a day. I hope your sister won't try to make you feel guilty, but I think you are far too objective and mature about this to let that happen.

Cheers to you and to Ulla. You so deserve a happy, healthy New Year.