Blind and Visually Impaired Community
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Tall order of HELP!! Caring for Grandma who is blind and significantly deaf (self.Blind)
submitted by wonderstruck_22
The quick and dirty background info:
- I just took over care for my grandma in law. She was previously living with her daughter for 16 years who is now burnt out
- Rancher home with minimal furniture and unfortunately it’s mostly quite low to the ground (I previously lived in apartments only)
-She’s 90 and fears change (as we all do)
-She does not like her new hearing aids so she uses her old ones which make communication VERY difficult (even in optimal settings with no background noise, myself using a low pitch tone).
-She does not like using a seeing cane. She will use her hands instead to guide her in the house.
-Her mind works well and she has a great memory
-She walks slowly but fairly steady
My questions:
1. What can I do to help guide her into our living room couch. I’m thinking something that is non-permanent I can put on the wall to indicate where she can turn towards the couch.
2. Anything you can think of that would help her learn her new environment?
3. Anything you can think of to increase autonomy? She really enjoys independence and has a low mood because she feels like a burden. She can make her own cereal, coffee and operate a microwave to heat up left overs or soup.
4. Things I can do for her to improve her quality of life? She can hear better when using headphones or the telephone so she will listen to audiobooks, call relatives, listen to the radio, play cribbage, go for walks.
For example, I’m trying to get her comfortable taking a bath as she loves them but she’s nervous about getting in and out (there are LOTS of handles in the bath for her but we will need to optimize them). I was thinking to add essence oils so she can enjoy the tactile and olfactory sensations.
What else can I do?
THANK YOU!! I need some starting tips. All very new to me 😊
- I just took over care for my grandma in law. She was previously living with her daughter for 16 years who is now burnt out
- Rancher home with minimal furniture and unfortunately it’s mostly quite low to the ground (I previously lived in apartments only)
-She’s 90 and fears change (as we all do)
-She does not like her new hearing aids so she uses her old ones which make communication VERY difficult (even in optimal settings with no background noise, myself using a low pitch tone).
-She does not like using a seeing cane. She will use her hands instead to guide her in the house.
-Her mind works well and she has a great memory
-She walks slowly but fairly steady
My questions:
1. What can I do to help guide her into our living room couch. I’m thinking something that is non-permanent I can put on the wall to indicate where she can turn towards the couch.
2. Anything you can think of that would help her learn her new environment?
3. Anything you can think of to increase autonomy? She really enjoys independence and has a low mood because she feels like a burden. She can make her own cereal, coffee and operate a microwave to heat up left overs or soup.
4. Things I can do for her to improve her quality of life? She can hear better when using headphones or the telephone so she will listen to audiobooks, call relatives, listen to the radio, play cribbage, go for walks.
For example, I’m trying to get her comfortable taking a bath as she loves them but she’s nervous about getting in and out (there are LOTS of handles in the bath for her but we will need to optimize them). I was thinking to add essence oils so she can enjoy the tactile and olfactory sensations.
What else can I do?
THANK YOU!! I need some starting tips. All very new to me 😊
ilivetofly 2 points 3y ago
So for the bath there is a bath chair that is powered and can lower you in and out of the water. May be handy. Something like an alexa or radio can go a very long way if you get a speaker for it that you can adjust so she can actually hear it.
Some kind of fall sensor while she learns the layout of the house may be really handy.
To guide her back to her seat something like a bit of rope along the walls or something that isn't a trip hazard on the floor could help.
Really though communication is key. She probably feels fairly lonely and won't be able to make use of anything you get her if you can't communicate how to use it properly.
Some kind of fall sensor while she learns the layout of the house may be really handy.
To guide her back to her seat something like a bit of rope along the walls or something that isn't a trip hazard on the floor could help.
Really though communication is key. She probably feels fairly lonely and won't be able to make use of anything you get her if you can't communicate how to use it properly.
razzretina 2 points 3y ago
I’d suggest stepping back on some things. Ask her if there’s anything she wants in particular. She should be able to learn the layout of the house on her own and isn’t likely to be in danger as long as she doesn’t go too fast. Keep furniture by the walls. Nobody uses a cane in their own homes unless they need one for balance. If she’s nervous about getting in and out of the bath you can practice with her or just let her know that you’ll come by to check on her if she’s worried about being left alone. But really, ask her what she wants first and foremost. Elders like to be heard and she’s a person first; in her shoes, you probably wouldn’t want someone deciding things for you without asking.
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