Problem

Solution

Notes

Food

1. Eating cat food

Put all dry cat food in a dispenser.

Buy single-serving cans of cat food.

Adoption of the dry food dispenser is a struggle. Since other members of the family are not filling the dispenser when they buy dry cat food, the full or half-full cartons remain in the cupboard and are available for mum and dad to eat from.

2. Not finishing Meals on Wheels meals

1) MOW to supervise mum and dad’s eating, and if not this then

2) put food out on plates, and if not this then

3) leave the meals unsealed and take lids away with them.

MOW are a little haphazard in their implementation of this. Dad tells them it is not necessary to put the food out, and they go along with him. I’ve asked specific volunteers to stick to the instructions, but have not asked the service to reitierate the message to all volunteers.

3. Not eating fresh fruit and vegetables

Provide fresh fruit and vegetables at weekends and on Wednesday.

Social services visit on Monday and Friday afternoons to provide food for mum and dad, first feeding the cats.

Greg and Regan generally do not provide fresh food at weekends.

Rachel has not yet established a routine for visiting and providing meals on Wednesdays.

The fresh food emphasis of the evening meals on Mondays and Fridays is not strong. The meals are also rather small.

4. Eating food past its use-by date

Regularly clear out the cupboards.

It would be better if old opened packages of food were either used up or cleared out before new purchases were added to the cupboards.

5. Very poor evening meals

same as 3.

same as 3.

Medical

6. Not taking medicine

The nurses adminster medicine at about 1:30 pm, take no for an answer, and avoid trouble when it flares. They do not visit on Wednesdays.

Dad gives it most days to mum.

The nurses’ visits are still being made in the morning, when mum is either asleep or cranky. We ought to switch to the evening round.

7. Missing doctors' appointments

Manage appointments for them.

Problem

Solution

Notes

Cleaning

8. Not cleaning cutlery and crockery

On Wednesdays, when dad is at day care, Rachel gives mum an outing. During this time social services clean the house.

So far I, not Rachel, have organised this. Last week there was a communication breakdown and Alison was sent home by dad. Alison normally arrives at 12:30 and works until 2:30. I leave notes for what I’d like her to do each week.

The washing machine needs fixing or replacing.

We need a reliable supply of pegs if washing is to be put out on the line.

9. Not dusting

10. Not washing clothes, bedding, or towels

11. Not cleaning the floors or toilet

Psychological

12. Boredom

Dad goes to the Day Care centre on Mondays and Wednesdays.

Rachel takes mum out on Wednesdays.

Dad is still not used to the idea of going on Monday (partly because of the Christmas and New Year disruption to the routine) and has even suggested that visits on Mondays are not necessary.

Rachel has not yet begun the outings for mum.

13. Confusion

‘Distraction and subtraction’ (reduce clutter in the house).

Provide a large calendar with each day crossed out as time progresses. The nurses will cross out the days for mum and dad.

Social services have provided a combination mini-safe to contain housekeys for fixing to the outside of the house – so that if the house is locked up we can always gain access.

Change the locks so that they cannot be deadlocked from inside.

We have done nothing to reduce the clutter in the house.

The calendar idea was unpopular and ineffective and so has been stopped.

We have not changed the locks or provided a means of access through the screen door.

14. Mum stealing the mail

A secure mail box.

The new secure mailbox is a failure because postmen leave the letters hanging out of the slot and mail is therefore easily removed. A different design is required.

Problem

Solution

Notes

Hygiene

15. Not showering or bathing

A shower stool and a handheld showerspray have been installed.

All soap in the house has been replaced with sorbolene (because it doesn’t matter if it is left on the skin and not rinsed off).

Deodorant and wet baby wipes have been supplied for Rachel to try out on mum.

Wine has been supplied to relax mum and make her more pliable.

Dad says he showers before going to Day Care and church.

Mum does not wash either herself or her clothes and her room now stinks.

Rachel should continue to persuade mum to take a bath or a shower or even just a wash, and try various incentives.

Safety

16. Vulnerability to robbery and violence

Real valuables are in the safe.

The amount of money in the house is limited to a maximum of $200.

An online webcam has been installed.

Police have not yet been asked to keep a closer watch on the house.

Rachel reports freezing of the video stream when watching the webcam from home, but the webcam server software appears to be serving images correctly.

17. Uncertainty on the outside steps

White lines have been painted on them.

At first dad considered these lines confusing but now says he has got the hang of them.

18. Mum's attacks on dad

Counselling dad and possibly mum when it happens.

Mum’s attacks are worse than before: more frequent and more easily triggered. Counselling mum and dad is useless.