Mother sleeps alot. She and I stay in a senior facility in Independent Living. I am her full time caregiver. We have a very nice experience here coming from a "rogue facility" that was a nightmare. My brother, sister-in-law and a cousin represented the dysfunction in our family where they went along with whatever the rogue faciity did or said. My brother has come around to support me being Mother's full time caregiver as when the rogue facility cut my hours, he was astonished at the $25.00 per hour charge for full time Nurses Aids after Mother was injured from the facility's negligence. My sister-in-law has avoided any warmth towards Mother for the last 30 or 40 years and it turned out my flamboyant cousin was an instigator, in tight with management with ties to them because he is booked as an entertainer several times a year. I told him we are family, he should have come to me and Mother and found out what she wanted and what I, as her caregiver, daughter and POA of Health Care thought was best. He is very judgmental with a superiority complex. I told him that instead of meeting with management and encouraging them to take over care of Mother he should have talked to us and clued us in because we are family. It was a disaster for Mother. She has not regained her vitality or mobility but has some improvement since we got away from that situation. It was very stressful. Mother is loving and cheerful, is aware and social. She has recovered mentally from all her falls. She now has meals in the dining room and sits with very nice ladies and every day or every other day she takes part in an activity or we go out for a meal, or to an appointment or for a walk outside, with Mother in the wheel chair. As far as our guest list, we want the two ladies from our table, 5 generations of our immediate family. We also are also close with Mother's 2nd husband's family. They have been calling and are excited about Mother's 100th birthday. I have lost track of my other cousins although we were close at one time. I do not want to bring my cousin here as he has been too negative about me and Mother. Mother says she just wants him to leave us alone. I don't think my brother and sister-in-law would come as they will be in our city the end of this month and they do not often travel. I think if a few of us got together and sang one of mother's favorite songs and we all sang Happy Birthday that would be good. Any experiences or ideas would be appreciated.
Have a nice cake, don't forget the ice cream.
Enjoy the day!!
Oh, and I think it would be awesome to get 100 signatures or if possible 100 birthday cards for her.
Did/Does mom have favorite hobbies or interests? My mom loved to bake so I put together a booklet of her favorite recipes, some with brief stories as to how the recipe was acquired or how often we served it. Include a few old photos too. If you don't have a scanner, I'm sure someone at the facility does and would help out.
Make a big sign for the door, invite all the neighbors. Everyone loves a party.
I hope she has a lovely 100 birthday!
Also - my mother did not want to invite the people at her AL, it was just too much for her to take in. So ask her what she wants, then take it with a grain of salt.
https://www.agingcare.com/articles/dementia-care-surrounded-by-sound-428032.htm
Give a gift that requires thought and your own hands to make always means more.
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