Earlier today, I was moving Dad in his wheelchair from the breakfast table to the family room. Usually he is very cooperative and tries his best to shuffle his feet along was we go. Today was no exception, but he was having trouble making the corners. Mom, watching closely, said, “Honey pick up your feet….
Monthly Archives: March 2010
Communicating
Not long ago, I walked into the family room, where Dad was sitting in his wheelchair. I was a bit consumed in thought and was just passing through on my way to the kitchen. As I walked by Dad, he spoke a couple of sentences that I could not understand–a very common occurrence. I may…
First signs
The driving incident described in the previous post was a landmark event. This very intelligent and proud man gave up the freedom of his car for the rest of his life. But there were other first signs. On another visit home, I saw him put a cup of coffee in the microwave to warm it…
Driving with Dad
Years ago, when I would visit home, my parents and I would go out shopping together. I usually drove, as they were intimidated (rightfully) by traffic. Dad had always been a bit of a backseat driver, but not too annoying. As time passed, however, he began to give me directions for every turn we would…
Swallowing Guidelines
As promised, here are some guidelines that help safeguard against choking. We received these after my phone consultation with a speech therapist. If your loved one is having some difficulty at meal time, you may want to consider an evaluation by a speech therapist, the go-to profession for assessment of swallowing difficulties. We have found…
Choking
Mealtime demands alertness. Dad hasn’t been able to feed himself for a couple of years. Every bite and every swallow now are delivered by the hand of another. Until recently Mom fed him breakfast (usually oatmeal) and lunch (often a sandwich or a salad), and I fed him dinner. But his increasing frequency of choking…