Hello everyone! This forum is so helpful to everyone. Thanks for any insight.
The facility where my Mother is will be doing a renovation of her section. This section is Memory Assisted Care. For people who can function enough but have Dementia. She lives alone there as Dad has passed. She is 94 and physically strong. Her conversations are a looping of the same questions for about 20-45 minutes but she is NORMALLY upbeat.
The other day they called to share that they will need to renovate the entire area and that my mom's wing will be first. All residents will be moved up to a different section and the friend that she has and spends hours a day will be in a different section. They say 8 weeks but the volume of work makes me think it will be much more.
I am very concerned about her at this point. Moving someone at this stage can't be good. All of them will be confused and scared.
Has this happened to anyone else?
My gut is saying this will be a very bad thing for the progression of her dementia and then when she comes back she won't remember her original home.
Thanks for any input/insight.
Marie
As for the move, if they can set up her temporary room to be just like her current room, it might help. The rest of the area may be different than the one she is used to, but staff should be there to "guide" them when needed.
When it's time to move back, setting up the room should be the same as it is now. If there's any way for you to take pictures and ensure the set up is proper, go for it!
Thank you
For one whole day, she sat like a statue, observing, not speaking, not moving.
The very next day, everything was fine again.
Is there any possibility that she and her friend could visit now and again during their days apart?
What would be the alternative for the facility to get anything done? Have you expressed your concerns to them? Won't it be a good thing that her room is refreshed? If your mom doesn't "remember her original home" it may be because of her advancing dementia and have nothing to do with the move. Try not to worry about something that hasn't happened yet. May you receive peace in your heart over this concern.
You're right. Don't worry about what hasn't happened yet. That is a life lesson that we all can learn to live by.