Fussin and Fightin - Day 3

And the saga continues...

I was working from home Tuesday morning and witnessed first hand Muddear going off on Sharon yet again! The one thing I really like about Sharon is her ability to redirect Muddear's anger or go toe to toe with her when necessary. Many of the aides before her found it difficult to deal with Muddear's feisty attitude. Often when she was being difficult, they would allow Muddear to have her way even when it didn't make sense. Like not giving her a bath or washing her hair, etc. To compound the matter, I would get random phone calls at work throughout the day. "Flossie won't do this... or Flossie won't do that..."

So, yesterday morning, Sharon begins their daily routine.

"Good Morning, Flossie it’s time to get up." You would think Sharon called her a derogatory name. Flossie exploded!

"I don't want to get up!"
"It's time for your wash up."
"I don't want to get up yet. I am tired and it's cold. You need to turn the air conditioner off." "Well Flossie, I've got things to do. You have to get out of bed and get your wash up so I can make your bed and clean the bathroom."
"I will get up when I want to get up. Not when you say get up. If you've got things to do then you need to go do them or go somewhere else. Leave me alone. I am 95 years old and I am not getting up until I am ready! Turn off the air conditioning."
"Flossie, it is time to get you cleaned up. Just think, once you are cleaned up it will be close to lunchtime. The air conditioner is not on, but I could turn off your ceiling fan."
"Don't turn off the fan, that's not why I'm cold. The windows must be open and it is too early in the morning to have the windows open. Close the windows. That's why I don't want to get up. I don't want my body gettin cold. Don't be disrespectin me."
"Flossie, let's get up. I'm not disrespecting you; I just know how you like to stay clean. Besides if you lie in bed too long, you will start to feel achy."
"I don't never get achy if I stay in the bed too long. And if I did, so what! No matter what you do in life there is always gonna be something wrong. I'm gettin up when I'm ready, not when you say I'm ready. I'm cold close the door."
"Flossie, I'm not going to close the door, it get's too hot in here. C'mon, up you go."
"Don't be stupid! It is not hot this early in the morning. Open the windows when it's hot!"

Needless to say, Sharon made Muddear get up and get her wash up. I applaud her persistence and tenacity. Sharon understands that my grandmother has Dementia and has never taken offense.

Five minutes later, I heard Muddear and Sharon chatting like old friends. The morning crisis was over.