A Different Life II

[OTRA15]

FYI Oregon allows RN's to run small nursing homes in regular houses, for up to 5 residents I believe. We used one years ago and it worked out great. There may be other states that do this as well. Nice to know that if living at home is not possible, there are some good and humane options. Oh, also, the costs were about 1/3 to 1/2 of a regular NY nursing home.

[Lily&Me]

That's a good sounding option, Peter, tho I have never heard of those around here. Oregon is a bit more progressive, in some areas...

My rug arrived yesterday, and it is perfect in my new living area...the color very true to the picture, a soft and muted red, with cream.

I love it, and now there is soft underfoot when sitting at the desk or chair.

Got the little house cleaned this morning, made potato salad and frog-eye salad for the family gig tomorrow, got my hair cut...a Jenny-cut, Doug would say...and picked up the Interstate from Cummins Crosspoint.

I had them do a basic road check, also scrape down and re-caulk the roof. When they got to the Fantastic Fan Vent, they discovered the wooden spacers (original) beneath the Vent framework were rotted out, and all but two screws on the entire structure were gone.

11 years old, probably past time for the spacers to be replaced...and, telling me that the roof should be looked at every year, whether re-caulking is needed or not.

Made these Edisto-shell candles for my neighbors who are moving....humongous shells, brought to me by a fellow camper from the inlet that is 1 1/2 miles or so up the beach from the campground.

I made a couple for Gerard and Laura, too....shhhh, don't tell them, it's a surprise.

Then treated Lily and I to frozen yogurt...because, we deserved it...opened the windows and the sun roof, and off we went.

Done for awhile, chocolate chip cookie dough still to be made...

Maggie

[DIR1]

Hi there... I believe they call them adult foster homes.... yes, a good idea for sure.... I love your candles Maggie!!... keep having fun!! Hugs and love from the progressive state of Oregon!!

[Lily&Me]

Hi Gail.

We have adult foster homes for the disabled here, that provide respite care for caregiver families, but not for people needing nursing home care...that I have ever heard of, nor was mentioned when this family was looking for a spot for the family member.

My neighbors loved the candles, and they have bought a house on Tybee Island, so shell candles were the thing to do, in my opinion.

They've been good neighbors.


Maggie

[OTRA15]

Originally Posted by DIR1

Hi there... I believe they call them adult foster homes.... yes, a good idea for sure.... I love your candles Maggie!!... keep having fun!! Hugs and love from the progressive state of Oregon!!

Thanks, here is some more information:

https://adrcoforegon.org/consite/exp...ster-homes.php

This solution worked out very well for our mother many years ago.

[DIR1]

Thx OTRA15 for the link... I'm not there yet but it's nice to know the options... continue having fun!!!

[SSquared]

Originally Posted by DIR1

Hi there... I believe they call them adult foster homes.... yes, a good idea for sure.... I love your candles Maggie!!... keep having fun!! Hugs and love from the progressive state of Oregon!!

Washington state has something similar. They call them adult family homes. My MIL moved into one the months ago. Not great, not terrible.

[Lily&Me]

Chocolate chip cookies, baked up fresh this morning....I must bring cookies to the family gig, and they must be chocolate chip...that's the way it's been for 30+ years.

Family gig over, and I am having a Honey Jack & Ginger .

Work on the rock border begins Monday.

Maggie

[Lily&Me]

I was awake early this morning...sat in my soft chair, feet on my new rug, and had my coffee watching the birds and squirrels in the back yard begin their day.

A few things needing done outside were calling to me, methinks, pulling me out of bed before 5 am...as it is to be 94 here today, which means get them done early.

Done they are, and we are in for the day. Will spend the afternoon with the newspapers and the AC.

There are people who love hot weather, and to be out in it, but I am not one of those.

Summer has set in, and we will have warm, but not awful, weather for Moraine View....not so much firewood will be needed this year, air conditioning instead.

Have had a family member from the mystery link area of the family reach out to me, and send me some pictures...he is going to do some digging, and see if he can find some answers.

Not much going on here. Starting to mentally plan my trip north and east, and am thinking the UP needs a look-see, as I have not been there in a couple of years...

Maggie

[paiceman]

We visit a number of nursing homes with our two Labradors. When there we are like "wallpaper" we see and hear things visitors and family members never see or hear as staff is on guard. One we visit in particular is fantastic, in over a year and a half we have never heard or seen anything negative, food is great, and staff is always smiling and helpful to residents - BUT, it costs $5,500 a month, which in many cases is paid for by insurance for the first year or 18 months and then the family is on their own financially.

[Lily&Me]

Hi Bud!

This man seems to be getting adequate care, but of course not TLC, which is what would be ideal....in spite of costs of about $300/day, which Medicaire and insurance will not pay.

He has the dementia, of course, but also some medical issues which would make caring for him at home much more challenging.

I remember when Doug's mother was in a nursing home the last 5 months or so of her life, and fell several times trying to get up on her own when staff didn't answer her bell as fast as she needed them to.

I hated it, and would have sat with her myself if I could, or hired a private duty CNA. It wasn't my call, as Doug would say.

Doug and I had promised each other that we would not leave the other alone in a medical setting, if not alert and able to advocate for ourselves. We knew, and had experienced first hand, what could and did happen with even the best of intentions...medication errors made, IV's running out, etc., even in an intermediate or ICU.

Nursing staff get busy, things get missed, mistakes get made.

Not to each other on our watch, we agreed, and I had to stand firm with the hospital when he was stricken, to be allowed to stay in the room with him...as I had promised.

He did receive excellent care, but I do believe that staying with him, and seeing his body's steady decline in spite of his heart still beating, helped tremendously in making the decision to take him off life support.

I could see it myself, as could his and my daughter, and we could process that information in addition to what the Doctors were telling us.

Sigh.


On another note, Bud, I am still giving Lily the Shed No More, but her blowing of her winter coat was pretty fierce, and lasted a good 3-4 weeks.

It's settled down, now, but I wondered for awhile if this supplement was no longer working. Yikes, I could have stuffed a pillow.

She is getting a raw carrot every afternoon, and has learned to eat them unpeeled , which should help keep her teeth clean and prolong the next professional cleaning. She loves them.

Gerard and Laura will be in to the campground north of here on Wednesday, and I'm going to make them dinner.

It will be good to see them.

Maggie

[Lily&Me]

The elderly gentleman I have been talking about went into hospice today.

Lives end, but it has been hard watching and hearing about this, and I am sad for them all.

Finished this prayer shawl today, the pattern called "shells and lace"...couldn't have been easier, and is lighter weight for warmer weather.

My border has been "trenched out", the rocks will be put in tomorrow....and, all of a sudden, it will be done.

Another hot day, and after what seemed like endless rain for inumerable days, it is suddenly dry and I am watering the new plants about every other day.

Tho if it were still raining, they would not yet have started my rock border.

I have been struggling to find words to express my feelings for what is happening around the world, and here in our country.

I can't find them.


Maggie

[paiceman]

It is amazing, but this year the "spring blowing of coats" is worse than I can remember in a long time. Our two and many people I've talked to including a couple I helped at our recent rally with a out of balance, very dog aggressive St Bernard, say their dogs are shedding worse than ever. Just not sure why, we are going to the vets tomorrow for a Lyme Shot booster for both girls and I'll ask our vet, she will know.

We, Alice and I, have a similar agreement to stay with one another if the situation arises. Mine is a little different in that I want no extraordinary procedures or care of any kind. We've been to enough nursing homes, hospice facilities etc that I do not want that at all.

Bud

[DIR1]

That shedding.. probably global warming!!!

[Lily&Me]

Could be.

Rock border is down on front and sides, and he is working on the back.

It is a bit of a shock to the eyes, to see all that rock where nothing really noticeable was before, but I like it and it is permanent.

Starting to prep for Moraine View, and have taken another item off my to-do list....going thru, ridding/sorting and organizing all the repair and maintenance paperwork from the past 10 years of ownership of this Interstate. Yikes.

Tossing some things, which are not relevant to current tires, etc., but keeping most...and going to leave original paperwork, plus at least the first 5 years worth, at home in the lockbox.

Going to make a short list of when batteries were last replaced and last services done, and keep that in my little binder to refer to.

It's all on me, now, and I am having to deal with things I have never done before, so organized is good.


Maggie

[Lily&Me]

It has taken me some time to get on top of maintenance and upkeep of the Interstate, other than what has seemed to me to be the most obvious, but I am doing better all the time.

Some things simply never occurred to me....it's not like maintaining a home, as that is something I am very familiar with.

I am pitching tire rotation records, but for the current set, made a list of when everything was last done/when will be due again, and plan to carry service records just since January of 2014....leaving the others in the lockbox at home.

Any thoughts from anyone as to whether I should do this differently, carry more years, etc?

Thanks in advance for your consideration.

Maggie

[paiceman]

Nope I think you are good to go. I put reminders on my cell phone in my google calendar. Many PM things are done on a six month basis or mileage so the truck usually hits six months first, but I do put the last miles in there as well.

I scan the maintenance records, email them to my self and then save them in an F350 folder which is on my phone and laptop just in case a mechanic is say Montana has a question which is not in their system.

Bud

[Lily&Me]

Thanks, Bud.

I keep my calendar on the IPad these days, with alerts for appointments and special occasions, but feel compelled to keep a written record of some things, that I can carry with me...in my Home Book, an idea I got from someone early in our traveling days.

I now have my current maintenance record on top, in a plastic sleeve, to be referred to and updated as needed....behind that in sleeves are Lily's shot records, my standing order for labs, a copy of Doug's death certificate, a few other important documents, and a hard copy of phone/addresses.

I also keep in here stamps, a few envelopes, calling cards, address labels and some pretty notecards.

A mini office, portable and secure in a zippered planner.

It works for me, and I have to say I feel better about myself as a person, having this done.

Maggie

[Lily&Me]

Spied this in my new rock border, in and amongst granite and very ordinary looking stones....

[DIR1]

wow!! What a great rock!! And a special surprise... that rock has a story... I love rocks... yes, and shells and wood... all those things sitting around in bowls and such in this little house...
We have a trip coming!!! I'm ready!!! Hugs and love from here... thx for the pics.. keep having fun!!!