Visiting

It's always hard visiting family members in Nursing Homes.  There is the ever present guilt of not visiting enough, but then there is the confronting fact of seeing a person who no longer knows who you are and is unable to communicate any more, and having to face the fact that that person's mind and body are winding down.  It would be less painful to try and remember that person as they were, full of life, rather than having the sadness of seeing someone who no longer looks like or acts like the person you love.  Dementia sucks, it is an awful, cruel disease. 

Needless to say, we spent the day in Perth recently chatting with the staff and visiting Steve's parents who are both stricken with dementia.  Although we were not looking forward to the visit, knowing each time we see them there is more decline, as it turns out it was a good visit, and our hearts felt lighter.  We are always so happy with the caring, personal attitude of all the staff, it is an older nursing home that has a stable staff body with no agency staff, so the residents get familiarity and routine which is very comforting to them.  Both Barbara and Eric who are now locked inside their own worlds and can do virtually nothing for themselves both seemed peaceful, calm and content, which made us feel calm and content too that they are being cared for in the best way possible.