Mom’s Daily Schedule
9:30 am
Mom usually wakes up about this time. Occasionally she will wake up earlier,
especially if there’s a lot of noise in the house.
Mom usually wakes up about this time. Occasionally she will wake up earlier,
especially if there’s a lot of noise in the house.
Breakfast
I put the coffee on near to the time she gets up. (I have my coffee early in the morning
—can’t wait till 9:30
Cream of Wheat—one of mom’s favorite breakfasts. She likes it with milk and
honey. She generally adds some sugar to it as well. Miss Sweet Tooth!
Grits and scrambled eggs—one egg, ½ cup of grits and ½ of an English muffin on
her plate is enough.
Smoothie—If mom refuses to eat breakfast, I make her a drinkable breakfast.) I use a
magic bullet blender.
I put the coffee on near to the time she gets up. (I have my coffee early in the morning
—can’t wait till 9:30
Cream of Wheat—one of mom’s favorite breakfasts. She likes it with milk and
honey. She generally adds some sugar to it as well. Miss Sweet Tooth!
Grits and scrambled eggs—one egg, ½ cup of grits and ½ of an English muffin on
her plate is enough.
Smoothie—If mom refuses to eat breakfast, I make her a drinkable breakfast.) I use a
magic bullet blender.
RECIPE
Strawberry/Banana Smoothie
I peeled banana
2 strawberries (tops cut off and sliced in half)
1-2 tsp of clover honey
¼ cup orange juice
¼ cup almond milk
1 small carton of yogurt.
Lunch
Soup and Sandwich (1/2 sandwich and small bowl of soup is all she will eat). I buy
tiny cans of coke. She will drink one of those or a glass of tea with lunch.
Salad—baby spinach with sliced strawberries, tiny tomatoes and sliced avocado
dressing of choice (Ranch or olive oil & vinegar, salt & pepper)
Leftovers—Mom will eat leftover pasta, casseroles—whatever is left from the dinner
table the night before. She likes leftovers.
Soup and Sandwich (1/2 sandwich and small bowl of soup is all she will eat). I buy
tiny cans of coke. She will drink one of those or a glass of tea with lunch.
Salad—baby spinach with sliced strawberries, tiny tomatoes and sliced avocado
dressing of choice (Ranch or olive oil & vinegar, salt & pepper)
Leftovers—Mom will eat leftover pasta, casseroles—whatever is left from the dinner
table the night before. She likes leftovers.
Lunch On The Go—She really enjoys eating lunch at restaurants although she pretty
much sticks to some variation of chicken. Chick-Fil-A is a favorite of hers as well.
much sticks to some variation of chicken. Chick-Fil-A is a favorite of hers as well.
Snack
In the afternoon at precisely 3:00 pm I make Mom a cup of coffee and give her cookie
or two to munch on while she and I watch Dr. Oz on TV. It’s a nice time to unwind
together.
In the afternoon at precisely 3:00 pm I make Mom a cup of coffee and give her cookie
or two to munch on while she and I watch Dr. Oz on TV. It’s a nice time to unwind
together.
Dinner
Mom will try just about anything EXCEPT seafood. She won’t eat pork chops either.
She will however, eat ham.
Mom will try just about anything EXCEPT seafood. She won’t eat pork chops either.
She will however, eat ham.
We try not to have steaks very often as Mom has trouble chewing meat.
She likes to drink sweet tea with dinner although she will occasionally have a glass of
milk if you give it to her.
She likes to drink sweet tea with dinner although she will occasionally have a glass of
milk if you give it to her.
Walk
Mom and I take a one-quarter mile walk after dinner in the cool of the evening. She
loves to walk and if the day is good, might ask you to walk 2 or 3 times. Just be
mindful of her knees. Sometimes after multiple walks, one of her knees might ache a
bit. One Aleve will take care of that.
Mom and I take a one-quarter mile walk after dinner in the cool of the evening. She
loves to walk and if the day is good, might ask you to walk 2 or 3 times. Just be
mindful of her knees. Sometimes after multiple walks, one of her knees might ache a
bit. One Aleve will take care of that.
Bath
Without telling her, I quietly slip away to draw Mom’s bath after our walk. I use Dr.
Teal’s peppermint bath salts and fill the tub less than half full. She likes it about that
height. Sometimes I add a cap or two of Victoria’s Secret bath gel along with the bath
salts.
Without telling her, I quietly slip away to draw Mom’s bath after our walk. I use Dr.
Teal’s peppermint bath salts and fill the tub less than half full. She likes it about that
height. Sometimes I add a cap or two of Victoria’s Secret bath gel along with the bath
salts.
Be sure to put a washcloth into the water.
I lay her towel out near the tub.
I lay out her nightgown, a light robe and a fresh pair of underwear on the bed for her. I also put out her slippers. (Otherwise she will come down wearing her regular shoes).
Usually while the tub is filling, I take the opportunity to tidy up Mom’s room, clean the sink a bit and turn on her lamp—kind of set the mood for bedtime.
When everything is ready I call out to Mom that her bath is ready. She laughs and says, “What did I do to deserve this?” But she comes right away. If there is company over, I try to be more discreet. I will say, “Mom, can you come here for a minute?”
Return to Mom’s room after her bath to remove her dirty clothes or she will wear them again the next day.
Lay out a fresh pair of clothing for her to wear so she won’t have to search for something to wear. She gets pretty disoriented in the morning.
Evening
Mom likes to read and watch TV and hang out with the family in the evening. I often
Mom likes to read and watch TV and hang out with the family in the evening. I often
give her a beverage or a snack if she wants one. Mom LOVES chocolate but you have
to watch her intake. She forgets how many she’s already eaten.
to watch her intake. She forgets how many she’s already eaten.
NOTES
During the course of the day, Mom will go in and out of the house many times to
walk up and down the driveway or sit on a bench in the backyard.
During the course of the day, Mom will go in and out of the house many times to
walk up and down the driveway or sit on a bench in the backyard.
She has a habit of messing with the door locks so be sure to either tape over the lock
and keep an extra house key nearby. If she gets locked out the house while you’re
taking a shower, she’ll will be out of luck. Mom will not be able to remember where
the spare key is or that there even is a spare key.
and keep an extra house key nearby. If she gets locked out the house while you’re
taking a shower, she’ll will be out of luck. Mom will not be able to remember where
the spare key is or that there even is a spare key.
As her confidence grows, Mom will grow more bold in wandering and might even try
to go for a walk on her own. Keep an eye on her.
to go for a walk on her own. Keep an eye on her.
Eyes
Keep Mom from rubbing her eyes! She has a bad habit of doing that. Cataract
surgery and eye-rubbing don’t go together. She could seriously damage her
eyesight. Please be gentle, but firm when you see her doing it.
Keep Mom from rubbing her eyes! She has a bad habit of doing that. Cataract
surgery and eye-rubbing don’t go together. She could seriously damage her
eyesight. Please be gentle, but firm when you see her doing it.
Mom has some prescribed drops left over from the surgery. If one of Mom’s eyes
is bothering her, you may occasionally put one drop of artificial tears (drops) in
her eye(s).
is bothering her, you may occasionally put one drop of artificial tears (drops) in
her eye(s).
Make sure she wears her sunglasses when she’s outside. Bright sun bothers
people who have had cataract surgery. This may cause irritation or itchiness in
her eyes. Allergies might do so as well. If that is the case, contact her regular eye
doctor, Dr. Wright (see folder) and ask what allergy eye drops he recommends
for her.
Jewelry
I like for Mom to have a nice “put together” look. I bought her a Noah’s Ark necklace
from Dannelle and like to put that on her. Also, she has a pretty bracelet to match.
When we dress to go out I often put those on her and encourage her to put some
lipstick on.
I like for Mom to have a nice “put together” look. I bought her a Noah’s Ark necklace
from Dannelle and like to put that on her. Also, she has a pretty bracelet to match.
When we dress to go out I often put those on her and encourage her to put some
lipstick on.
Hair
Mom’s hair looks great short and is easy for her to style as well. Sometimes I will add
some styling products to it while wet to help soften it since she doesn’t use
conditioner. I blow dry it sometimes as well but since it’s pretty short now, her hair
dries fast.
Mom’s hair looks great short and is easy for her to style as well. Sometimes I will add
some styling products to it while wet to help soften it since she doesn’t use
conditioner. I blow dry it sometimes as well but since it’s pretty short now, her hair
dries fast.
Shoes
Mom’s black shoes (Merrills) are probably the best for her feet. I purchased them for
her at DSW. She wouldn’t buy them for herself because they were too expensive so I
pretended I was buying them for me (it works!) and then gave them to her later. They
are comfortable and give her great support.
Mom’s black shoes (Merrills) are probably the best for her feet. I purchased them for
her at DSW. She wouldn’t buy them for herself because they were too expensive so I
pretended I was buying them for me (it works!) and then gave them to her later. They
are comfortable and give her great support.
Her other favorite shoes are the ones Nancy gave her—the brown TOMS.
Always keep an eye out for comfortable shoes for Mom. She is very particular about
shoes. Tennis shoes especially! If she thinks they make her feet look too big, she
won’t even look at them.
shoes. Tennis shoes especially! If she thinks they make her feet look too big, she
won’t even look at them.
Shopping
Mom really enjoys shopping but will talk her self out of most purchases with the
exception of books. She adores books and will buy 5 or 6 at one time unless you are
successful in talking her out of a fewJ Good luck with that!
Mom really enjoys shopping but will talk her self out of most purchases with the
exception of books. She adores books and will buy 5 or 6 at one time unless you are
successful in talking her out of a fewJ Good luck with that!
I encourage her to purchase items of clothing I think will work well for her. She
dislikes trying things on but when it comes to pants, I make her try them on. A few
pairs we bought without trying on, don’t really fit her well. So make her try on pants.
dislikes trying things on but when it comes to pants, I make her try them on. A few
pairs we bought without trying on, don’t really fit her well. So make her try on pants.
Mom HATES bright colors most of the time. However, she did pick out a sparkly
blue top. Maybe we’re making progress.
blue top. Maybe we’re making progress.
Phone
Encourage Mom to keep her phone in her pocket at all times.
Encourage Mom to keep her phone in her pocket at all times.
You will have to be in charge of keeping her phone charged. She can never remember
how to do it.
how to do it.
You will most likely have to call back whoever calls Mom. She takes too long to
answer the phone.
answer the phone.
