Weavers Story Bank

A day, caring for my mother diagnosed with dementia

I regularly visited my parents after mum was diagnosed with dementia. I was listed on the care roster as I was still working and that made it easier for me to manage my time.

One Monday when I arrived my mother greeted me with a very angry “YOU’RE LATE!” I asked, late for what? “Ruthie’s Wedding” she said. Ruth was her niece who had been married for about 40 years. I thought this was going to be a difficult day as Mum was very agitated and very sure it was Ruthie’s wedding day. Nothing was working on this day, I explained to her that she had mixed up days, no she was adamant it was today and we were late.

I asked her what church? But she couldn’t remember, she knew it was a Catholic church. I thought I was going to spend the rest of the day arguing with no resolution and I could see her getting more agitated. So I put her in the car and took her for a drive. We had several churches in the area, thinking it was a Monday I took a gamble that no one would be around and when we arrived at an empty church she would not want to go inside. I drove to every church all were deserted, as we drove her mood changed and she said, “I must have got the date wrong, but hadn’t it been a lovely drive”. We agreed to go back home, Mum had a nap and the rest of my visit was not so bad.