Personal Care Plan

All of the Elderly at my work place have a Personal Care Plan.  This is a plan of how to care for you if you become unable to care for yourself.  It's a good idea to have one I think, especially if you happen to have some special needs going on.

My darling friend and self adopted sister made it her business to know my care plan.  I'm sad to say she is moving away to Auckland.to live.  So, I'm thinking it is a good idea to write my care plan down and also to show another darling friend how to do certain jobs.  These things have to include, what time to shower me, what soap to use (and there is only one, that's sunlight soap), what creme's to use on my skin (there are two), and what area's to put them and how often, how to wash, dry and maintain my wigs !  Wow I sound like hard work ! But, these are all important things that some-one needs to know in the case of anything happening to me and I can't do it myself.

I mean, I hope I am blessed with old age and can be a proud old lady with my dignity in tact, but it is also my observation and training that as we age tasks become increasingly difficult. It takes more time and patience just to do one's own personal care.  So, it is a good idea to learn some patience now if we haven't already, and another reason to have a care plan in place.

Working with the Elderly has taught me great patience, humbleness, gratefulness, oh I could write a list as long as my arm of the rewards.  I highly recommend the job.  I have always been one to try not to think too far ahead, but life is short and I realise the road is sometimes long. I am at an age where the future must be thought about...oh dear, here's a thought, my friends will be old with me. Oh I can see it now, walking sticks, walking frames, artificial aids.  What a crack up, we will be taking care of each other. Laughing out Loud now !

I remember well and old man whose land I had my housebus parked on at Mahia.  It was 1993, the year I lost all my hair.  I was broken, he was diabetic and had lost limbs.  One day he said to me "What are you worried about, each night I go to bed I must take off my left leg, my right foot, take my teeth out, my hearing aids out, my glasses off, and in the morning I must put them all back on."
That gave me food for thought.