He talks so constantly and quietly and randomly, that no matter how hard i listen, i can make little sense. Sometimes he shouts out urgently for people, “Sam!” , “Jim”, ” mary” but i know not these people he is calling to, i suspect for help.
We were in his room today, much quieter than the common area. He always relaxes in the quiet areas because all that random noise keeps him on edge.
Over and over when having supper I have seen him answer “What?” to noise from other people in the big common room. How exhausting!
But today we were in his – half – room.with just a couple of care aides chatting and laughing in the hall.
After about half an hour of cozying, we were in our zone and he was doing pretty good with the feet, (note- major conceptual feat for a guy whose brain is just not working. ) He was moving his wheelchair enough that several.times i had to retreat so my leg didn’t get squashed. Been bashed already a few times by that chair.
No matter.
After enough time, and it does take time, he felt good, although of course totally uncentred in time or space or sense, but pretty happy I think. He sang several lovely songs, pausing to do so amid all the words i did not understand.
So i wanted to go.out to talk to the care aides for a moment, and hugged him and said i will be right back.
As I scurried the 30 feet away, i clearly heard him say, “Take me with you.”
And when i returned to his room, he had slowly moved the chair about 5 feet.
CaringCV 
One thing I learned from my mum’s dementia ward is that the residents who talked a lot, even to themselves, got really dehydrated. They’d drink like camels if I offered them tea or water and the level of staffing never even got close to getting enough fluids into the dear souls. I sometimes thought that dehydration was exacerbating their dementia.
I’m guessing that Don has better care and enough to drink even when he doesn’t ‘ask’ for something.
Love, Susan >
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