Missouri weather is
well known for its extremes. Our dog likes to hang out on the deck while we go
to town, but sometimes, like today with a 100+ index, it just isn’t a good
idea. Recently, Harold built a “room” for her in the basement where she can
stay while we make short trips to town. We furnished it with a chair, a dog
bed, and toys.
This morning, I
took the dog outside. She immediately trotted toward the garage, went down the
steps to the basement, and stopped in front of the basement door. I was surprised
that she had noticed we were getting ready to go somewhere and led the way to
her room. Although we’d only used the room a few times, she already knew the
routine.
Routines can become
boring and sometimes we feel compelled to shake things up a bit to keep life interesting.
But there’s something to be said for the stability and comfort of knowing our
day is going to click along as expected.
Daily routines keep
our lives running smoothly, especially if we have a loved one with dementia.
Having set times for meals, bathing, dressing, activities, and bedtime helps
both the caregiver and their loved one with dementia make it through the day.
Keeping a routine
is helpful for a person who becomes confused. With subtle help and reminders, your
loved one can maintain independence for as long as possible. It is important to
be flexible enough to deal with the unexpected.
We all fall into
patterns of routine. For me, it’s to put on a pot of coffee first thing in the
morning. I don’t feel quite human until after my first cup of coffee.
A few days ago, I
squeezed out the last few grounds of coffee from the canister and knew I had to
refill it. While we were in the middle of fixing biscuits and sausage gravy, I
decided it would be better to get that chore out of the way after I’d already downed
a cup of coffee. I brought in a new can of coffee and grabbed the tab on the
foil seal.
Coffee shot out of
that can with all the force of a bottle rocket. Coffee grounds pummeled my
apron, my chest, down my blouse, all over the counter, and of course, all over
the floor I’d mopped the evening before. Talk about a mess! Talk about ruining
my sleepy-eyed early morning routine.
After that, Murphy’s
Law kicked in. While Harold was stirring gravy, I placed the biscuit baking
sheet on the unused burners. “It’s hot,” I said. He accidently touched his arm
to the sheet, jerked his hand, and gravy went flying. Awe, how much better it
would have been if our routine had not been thrown out of kilter.
Routine and flexibility
are two sides of the same coin. For those of us who prefer calm to drama,
routine is our friend and flexibility keeps us from freaking out when things go
wrong.
Sometimes we just
have to clean up the coffee grounds, change our clothes, and jump in the
shower. Before you know it, you are back on track to have a normal day.
Copyright © June 2018
by L.S. Fisher
#ENDALZ
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