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Becky, glad you are now recovering from the surgery! Wishing you much strength each day!
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Yay, Becky!,!!
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Yay, Becky!

I much prefer tap to ballet
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I always wanted to tap dance :(
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Hi Becky! Been thinking of you! So glad to see you back, especially so soon.

Could you tap dance BEFORE the surgery? ;-)
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Had surgery. In CCU. Stood up today, but not tap dancing down the halls.
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Robots.

I'm not even kidding. Robot caregivers might just be among us within a decade.

www.businessinsider.com/robot-caregivers-for-the-elderly-10-years-away-2017-8

theconversation.com/how-robots-could-help-bridge-the-elder-care-gap-82125

bigthink.com/disruptive-demographics/robo-caregiving-will-you-delegate-care-of-a-loved-one-to-a-robot

Everyone who isn't already watching Westworld, you should be!
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A very good ratio. More than 2 healthy adults to care for one elderly. It is a good model for those lucky enough to get in now. But...

... as the population keeps living longer and sicker, the number of old sick people is growing ever larger and taking up more and more resources, while the percentage of younger working adults is getting smaller and having to working harder and more years, and people having not only fewer kids but later in life...

I see a much larger looming problem for the society of most developed countries.

I don't know if there can be a solution, but for me, I try to save money so that I can pay for my own care as much as possible. And how can I work and make money to save if I'm stuck at home caring for my elderly Alzheimer's mother for the next many years? Sigh.
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CM - I *love* that village model - I think it's such a great idea - but even they had their issues when a resident with dementia became combative and wouldn't come out of his apartment or let anyone in - they had to get security to go in and get him out, which had to be traumatic. None of these setups are without problems of some sort - and never will be. They'll never find a perfect solution, but I do like the idea of a village where elders are safe and can live something like they used to.
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(((((((veronica and hubs))))))) -praying for speedy and uneventful recoveries for you both. Thank goodness for your dd!!!!! Keep us updated
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Unbelievable, Dorianne. Or, I wish it was unbelievable.

The rehab team discharged my mother home into my care with technicolor diarrhoea. They had continued lactulose for up to six weeks without any apparent reference to what it had been prescribed for or whether it was still needed. Thanks for that, chaps. Got us off to a great start.

Can they not read? Or do they not think? A question for the ages...

While I'm having a good fume-seethe: article in today's paper headlined "'Alzheimer's village' frees patients to lead a normal life."

Sounds wonderful, I thought. Tell me more.

Work has begun on France's first 'Alzheimer's Village' modelled on a successful Dutch initiative which has been running for some time. It is, essentially, a secure campus of ordinary homes and amenities such as a grocery, salon, library, café and even a model farm. Sounds lovely, can I go?

I was actually restraining my scepticism until I got to the part about how they will evaluate this trial. Get this. Just get this...

"Its proponents say that compared with traditional nursing homes, residents are more active, require less medication, and are happier.

"The French model will seek scientific proof that this is the case. Young researchers will 'cohabit' with the 120 residents who have Alzheimer's, along with..."

GET THIS!

"... 100 live-in carers and 120 volunteers who will stage activities.

"The researchers will conduct a comparative study with traditional nursing homes and examine 'the impact of new therapeutic approaches on patients, carers, and medical staff,' Prof Dartigues told Le Monde."

120 residents. 100 live-in caregivers + 120 volunteers.

I wonder if the comparison will include resident:staff ratios?
And I wonder how ill the residents will be?

So there we are. There's the answer. Just build entire new communities, employ up to 2.2 carers per resident, replicate the experiment 10,000 times and France's estimated 1,000,000 Alzheimer's sufferers' sunset years will be paradise.

I do in fact very much approve of the village model, which has worked well not only in Holland but also in the UK - it works, it's brilliant, and these places are staffed by people of genius and true vocation.

What I can't STAND is when some idiot cub reporter - whoever he is - gets hold of the story and goes starry-eyed over it. It's not simple, it's not fine, and we're no more going to provide such facilities for every person than we are going to eradicate child poverty or malaria.
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bookluvr, thank you!
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Collective sweet dreams to our friends in hospital tonight
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I wonder how Becky's surgery went today? I guess it's way too early to hear anything from her....
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MsMadge so the Viking was a pioneer. Just as well she did not have the op when they made you drink the bile from the drain
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Anxiety tonight and of course her son doesn't take anything seriously or I take everything too seriously.
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I'm hoping the one wall unit - GE- from the 1990s turns on again
I need to give it a quick
Cleaning and crank it up

We're in the 90 temp now
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Veronica
Thinking of you
Isn't there a blood test that can tell if your pancreas is "hot" so to speak ?

When the Viking had gallbladder trouble it caused pancreatitis- ER folks insisted she must be a heavy drinker
Nope - allergic to alcohol
- They didn't believe me

She was among the first nearly 30 years ago to have her gallbladder removed with just a small naval incision which is now an outpatient procedure

I hope you gave the ultrasound tech a good pinch for asking if you had your pancreas being it's a vital organ and all

Speedy recovery to you and hubs
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Veronica,
Both you and hubs are going to make it because your new lovely home is just so peaceful and is calling you back.
You know what to do.
You know what is best for you both.
I will do my part and pray, you do your part and rest.
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Veronica,, take care of both of you.. I'd imagine when you moved here you never expected your main sightseeing to be the hospital!
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Well, it is coming.. yesterday mom asked where our other cat was.. you may remember that is the one who was killed by a stray dog, starting WW3 between hubs and mom so bad I thought I would have to move everyone out! The we said we were going out to breakfast, would she like to come? We go to this place at least once a month since she moved in over 3 years ago. She did not remember it. Talked to my cousin in TX who had her for 6 week,, says she didn't see anything like this.. Heck no,, it was all new and shiney there!! Then last night we got the word the river house was in a flood situation,, so hubs had to go there at 5 am this morning and is staying until tomorrow to keep things under control and help the neighbors ( who are also helping him) save everyones boats and homes! Mom had a eye dr apt today, and I was supposed to work.. which would leave mom to reschedule her apt, and home alone with 2 dogs for 14 hours... The dogs can fend for themselves with their pee pads, and she could get her food,, but I was worried about her falling.. and her eyesight has gotten a lot worse in the last few months ( like she can't see the dang dogs!) Worried about all of this until 2 am,, then yes indeed I called out of work using my FMLA. Glad I did.. she needs eye surgery They are going to put a stent in to lower the pressure and hopefully preserve what sight she has in her left eye ( her right is still ok) GLad both that hubs did not take her,, he is not as good with drama as I, and that I followed my instincts and stayed home.
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Katie - I've read lots of people on here say they got their LOs into assisted living or a nursing home when an accident or illness happened, something that landed them in the ER. Then they say there's no one at home to look after them, and things proceed from there. Maybe others who've been through this can explain it better.
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(((((Veronica)))))

Seems to me I remember reading about maggots being used to clean wounds as far back as WWI? They're supposed to be very clean - it's the flies that are dirty, because, you know, basically they walk on poo. *yuck face*

I don't think anyone is a bad daughter (or son) for not being willing to deal with their parents' poo. *I* am not willing to deal with my mother's poo. I didn't expect this when I signed up for caregiving, and I'm no saint when it comes to dealing with it either! I cuss and grumble the whole time! And then I sulk for hours. Lol.

CM - I got out mom's blister pack of meds last night, actually, and I looked them all up online....turns out one is a stool softener!!! She takes two of them. So I (temporarily) stopped giving it as of last night, and I'll ask her renal team if she can go off it now, or reduce it (her meds go to dialysis with her Wednesday, for review). Basically her entire diet is now down to milkshakes I make with Ensure, Ritz crackers, Timbits, and the occasional piece of toast (she refuses "real" food). So why on earth would she still need a stool softener?
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I am very concerned that when the day comes MIL will refuse to leave her house for assisted living or NH. She has already said today and many other times that she won't leave that house and is dying in there.....Trouble is she doesn't understand that most people don't just go in their sleep one night. Sometimes, but usually there is a decline with someone needing more and more help. That house is not a good place for aging, cramped and small, stairs everywhere. There are 4 stairs from the driveway into the kitchen. Detached garage in an area that gets heavy snow in Winter, Laundry in basement, etc. The lady next door has hinted that her daughter would be interested in buying the home, but MIL says no, that someday selling it will be OUR problem...She also locked herself out 2 days ago and we had to drive 70 miles round trip because the spare key wasn't there....then after the locksmith was called, the spare key suddenly was back in the place it should have been to begin with......
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Veronica, hope you and hubby get well soon!

Cwillie, I had to have the AC replaced last year. They are using a different coolant and the old one has gone up in cost. These Heating/Cooling guys always seem to have their mitts in my wallet!
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Veronica,
So sorry for you and hubby. Hope you both get better quick.
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Veronica, I hope things get better soon. ((hugs))
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Well here I sit again in the observation unit of the local hospital (with my hubby in the next bed) As far as room mates go I reasoned that it was better to room with"the devil you know"
DH developed a badly infected toe that looked to me to be headed towards gangrene. At the same time my diarrhea kicked in so DD brought us to the ER.
Hubby is geting IV antibiotics and the toe is improving but his back is very painful. They have been starving me to "rest the gut" unfortunately my gut does not agree.
I fought hard against being admitted for observation but the rules have changed.
They think I may have pancreatitis and possibly a bowel obstruction. CT scan ruled that out and they tried to sonogram but the technician could not find it. "Are you sure you did not have it removed?" Noooo! "Well I guess someone could have snuck it out while they were in there.
I asked if they found the pancreatitis to be caused by gall stones would they operate. "Oh no you are far too big a surgical risk" Don't know what has changed in the last 12 months since I had my broken hip replaced.
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Oh Sue the rotting flesh there is no escaping that it's throughout the house. Mostly in people dying from intestinal cancer. I had a similar patient to yours with half his face eaten away, fortunately with no smell!
We did have one patient that got maggots in his leg - again no smell.
I believe these days they actually do introduce maggots to clean out wounds
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cwillie did he say if he could keep the remaining 10% working? Sorry
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