Dad is doing well this week. One of his companions sent me a nice note yesterday. She had asked the ALF nurse how dad’s cold was. The nurse said he was fine and had been checked by the doctor on Friday. That was a relief to me, especially since I felt like the nurse didn’t take me seriously when I called on Thursday. I think it helps to call some but not nag every day. They know I am watching and they follow up. It helps to have 3 companions each week checking on dad too!
The companion then went to find dad but he wasn’t in his room. He was walking with some people to a group activity. According to her note, “He lit up when he saw her. She asked if he wanted to go to lunch and he immediately said “yes” with a smile.”
He was with a lady friend & when his companion later asked her name he said “Mary”. I have written about some of dad’s experiences with this lady friend in “An Incident Report — Assisted Living” and “Dad and A Lady Friend“.
As the companion was leaving the room she heard him say to his lady friend: ”my daughter sends her while she’s away”.
The companion also had another client who lived nearby who also went with them to lunch. They all went to dad’s favorite restaurant. The waitress knew dad so catered to him nicely. He had dinner and fudge brownie with ice cream & chocolate sauce. They brought home good portion of his dinner. Then they went to a pastry shop to get dad some of his favorite pastries. Dad checked out the price of gas & was shocked. Actually he is always surprised to hear the price of gas, and always comments on how he used to get 5 gallons for a dollar!
Another of his companions visited him the next day. She mentioned his cold and said he was just stuffed up. I imagine these symptoms could last a long time, but so long as they don’t get any worse, I won’t worry about it. The second companion found him sitting in his lazy boy drinking his pop. He always teases her and calls her by the other companion’s name.
Companion number 2 convinced him to take a short walk around the ALF. He is not keen on walking but she is usually able to get him up and about for a little while. I know dad is enjoying his time with the three companions. They keep him occupied enough so he doesn’t get lonely. And this year he is participating more with the activities at his ALF.
Dad is being so pampered now – I hope he doesn’t find me boring when I get home. 
I am so happy for him!!!
Thanks, Terry. I am glad to see he is enjoying himself so much more this year. It is good to see also that he understands that the companions are there to keep him compNy while I am away.