My mom who has Parkinson's Disease is being what I call "weird". We do the sane routine day in and day out and she doesn't remember anything we do. I understand why and yet I don't. It's getting tough. I neec some ideas as to how to get her out of her shirts and into her pajamas. I try not to get upset about it but it can be frustrating.
Another issue is that she seems to have forgotten how to swallow. I have to blenderize everything because she can't remember how to chew either. Any ideas on how to remind her to swallow? Most of the time the food is drinkable and she has no trouble. But if it's blenderized to just be softened, she can't seem to swallow between spoonfuls. She has no logic or reasoning capabilities. That makes it even tougher.
Thanks y'all for any insight. Susan
One step in undressing Mom to change into pajamas is to ensure that her tops are easy to put on and take off. Experiment with what is easiest -- front opening, with Velcro instead of buttons? Back opening? Pull overs with large head openings (maybe V necks)? When you determine what works best, replace all the hard-to-change items with ones that are easier. (Thrift stores can be wonderful sources.) When all the tops work the same way you can use the same cues all the time for her cooperation. Perhaps sing a version of Hokey Pokey as cues ... "Put your right arm out, put your right arm in," etc. Try to make it less frustrating for both of you.
The swallowing issue is, unfortunately, common. A swallowing test can pinpoint exactly where the problems occur, and the speech therapist can give suggestions about the best food consistency and other factors. One common suggestions is to sit up straight when eating -- no slouching on the couch or being semi-reclined in bed. There will be other suggestions to deal with the specific problems revealed by the test. Since memory is so poor you (or someone) may have to give cues and reminders during the meal.
Do you belong to a support group for caregivers of persons with PDD? Or for caregivers of persons with Lewy Body (very similar)? That can be an awesome source of practical advice and support.