Thanks Gaby!

I’d like to start this blog by thanking Gaby, who responded to my “Right Fit” blog that I posted a couple of months ago.

To recap that post, Mumsie is at the stage where she’s becoming more forgetful and more dependent on me. Since I cannot leave her on her own anymore, it has put quite a strain on me and so, following a heart-to-heart discussion with her, we agreed that we would have a companion come in once a week. Unfortunately, the agency we went through sent a young girl who had nothing in common with Mumsie, which was disappointing. This was the gist of my “Right Fit” blog.

Gaby read my blog and responded with a suggestion that, instead of limiting my search to an agency, I might want to consider finding someone from the community to care for Mumsie.

Eureka!

Mumsie and I help at the Church soup kitchen once a week and, during one of those gatherings, I caught up with a woman who used to volunteer but hadn’t been going for a while. I mentioned my problem and, to my surprise, she expressed interest in trying it out. Fiona is a lovely woman in her fifties, with a gentle manner and a good sense of humour. Her children are now adults and, as she’s now dealing with the “empty nest” syndrome, she’s been looking for something to occupy her time. Mumsie and I have always got along very well with her, so we agreed to give it a try.

Fiona has now been coming once a week for a month and it’s working out very well. She and Mumsie have a lot in common ~ they enjoy the same books and TV programs (e.g. Jeopardy and tennis) and have the same passion for gardening. Now that summer is finally here, Fiona and Mumsie have gone for walks in the nearby park and have also gone to nurseries to buy various plants for their respective gardens ~ our garden has never looked so good as a result!

For me, it’s reassuring to have Fiona spend time with Mumsie as it means I can go out and about without having to worry about leaving Mumsie on her own. It gives me time to enjoy myself, whether it’s to browse at a bookstore on my own or reconnect with friends over lunch. For the moment, we’re leaving Fiona’s visit to once a week but we have discussed the possibility of her coming in twice a week in the future.

So thanks very much, Gaby, for taking an interest in my dilemma and offering a solution that has turned out really well for Mumsie and me.

[tags]gardening together, companionship, dilemma, right fit, companionship with my mother, taking care of seniors[/tags]