I had to go to Chesapeake, Va. For some work related training during the first week of August and decided to take Kathryn with me. We went up on Sat. the1st so we would be able to spend a couple of days in the hotel before I had to report on Monday the 3rd. I explained to Kathryn that I needed her to stay in the room while I was in training and she said she would. I got her a nice salad each evening for lunch the next day (She really likes salad). When I got up in the morning I gave her the B-12 and she would go back to sleep. I would set up her other meds with a banana in a zip lock bag just like I do at home each morning, before leaving for work, and when she gets up and eats the banana or an apple and takes her meds. At home my father checks to make sure she takes them. Here I would have to count on her doing it herself and she did great with it.
I would call her each day from class at 11:30 to remind her to eat or she will forget. Each day when she answered the phone she would ask me where I was and when am I coming home. I would remind her I was at class and would be there in a couple of hours. I would ask her if she had her lunch yet and she would tell me she doesn’t remember, so I would explain to her where the icebox was and have her open it and get her salad out for lunch.
When I returned to the hotel I would ask her how her salad was and she would tell me someone ate it. I would explain to her that she ate it and she would say yes, that’s right, she forgot. This is how everyday went. Really not too bad, but I worried about her every day while I was at class.
The folks at the hotel were great. I explained to them about Kathryn and every time we walked by the front desk they would stop what they were doing and say hi to Kathryn and talk to her for a few minutes. I talked to them about the check out time and explained to them that Kathryn couldn’t sit in the lobby if I was late getting back from class, that she would become stressed and might walk away. They said they would see that she was able to stay in the room until I got there and nobody would bother her.
When I finished class we went to Williamsburg and she enjoyed about the first two hours of it and then was wore out. I paid for two days but decided that it would be better to only go for that short time. We got a new trinket for our case (we get one everywhere we go). She really enjoyed herself on the trip. Doesn’t remember much about the trip now. But that is ok. It was great to see her smile even if only for a short while.
I did learn some things on the trip: 1. Kathryn can’t walk far now. 2. Her memory is getting much worse. 3. If we go out to eat and they have splinda on the table she will put it all in her purse to take with her. She is now diabetic too. She was upset that she couldn’t drink sweet tea any more until I convinced her that unsweet tea with splinda was much better than regular sweet tea. So if you go out to eat and there is no splinda on your table we may have been there.
I'll keep that in mind, Jim. Thanks for posting this. Great that it all worked out so well. She sounds like a very nice person. I can just imagine what would happen if I wanted my dh to stay in a hotel room alone!
glad your trip was pleasant and DW enjoyed herself jim. good idea to clue int he hotel personnell when you had to leave to they could watch out for her. divvi
If we were to stay in a hotel, I could imagine my DH leaving the room (and locking himself out, of course), but he would not have a clue how to operate the elevator. Furthermore, he doesn't like to get into elevators anyway!! He has to almost be pulled into the elevator when we have to ride in one. I wonder if the hotel would agree (for a fee) to have someone check on him periodically. Have any of you ever had reason to ask for this service?
most larger chains have sitters you can hire like for childcare. i doubt many hotels would want the liability of watching out or legal responsibility for an AD person who may not follow directions, but anything is possible i guess. if it were me and having to go out of the hotel i would take him along or hire a sitter at the hotel to stay in the room with him and keep him entertained. remember they dont have deadbolts on hotel rooms just locks. mine would be out and looking for me probably sitter or no sitter:)divvi
I'm glad it worked. We have to stay in hotels not infrequently, as we're in the process of college-visiting with the last kid, and we've had several different family travel obligations this summer. Jeff will get up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom, and not be able to find it. I have, a couple times, woken up to find him trying to open the main room door. Now I usually place a movable piece of furniture in front of it, like a chair or small table so that I'll at least hear him before he accomplishes much. I also have a big ugly nightlight that I can put in the bathroom so that it is well-lit without flooding the sleeping area with light. Generally, he's fine. He just needs to ask me where we are each morning.
Sweet tea has made it to the west coast but I don't think it is doing too well. McD's was running a special on it for a large at $1. Our first encounter with it was about 2003 in Greenville, TN. Art ordered an ice tea and that is what they brought him. It was much too sweet for him even though he puts sugar in his tea. I will stick to my diet cola.