Worlds are Colliding!!

Every two weeks, the Pre-K class from the daycare across the street from the Nursing home I work in, come to visit and do special projects with the residents.  This program has been set up for years.  Many of the staff here and the residents know that my boys go to that daycare.  For the last few years, they have been asking if my boys were in the group.   This is the first year, my oldest, K, is in the class that comes to visit. 

K has been coming to the nursing home every few months since he was born.  I mistakenly assumed he would have no problem visiting with his class. Unfortunately, it seems that his biggest problem is being here with both me in the room, and his class and teacher.  It is like his worlds are colliding!  He wants to sit near me and hug Mommy, but he is also trying to follow the directions and do what his teacher asks him.  Some visits are better than others, but it is an issue I never considered.  I guess for a 4 and ½ year old, it’s a little confusing to see your mom in a different setting.  Hopefully it has, and will be, a good learning and growing experience for him!  Personally I have always believed that any exposure to the elderly, and the nursing home setting, for children of any age, can only benefit them! 

Full Moon

If you have ever worked in a nursing home you know about the "full moon effect."  There are theories and talk about the full moon effecting behaviors of patients with dementia.  Those patients are said to have more confusion, agitation, wandering, and an increased number of falls due to the full moon.   I don't know if I really believe it, but I have never done a real study of it either.  Behaviors do seem to cycle.  Many residents seem to cycle with falls as well.  Whether it is the full moon may just be circumstance, but you never know.  Personally, I think that it is a way to explain things when we want to find an explanation, though it might not be the cause.   As caretakers, we are constantly trying to find the root cause of behaviors and falls.  If we can't figure out why a person's behaviors are escalating, maybe it is because of the full moon.  Why was there an increased number of falls over a weekend?  Must have been the full moon.
 We are always looking for answers, and sometimes, we can't find one, and therefore feel lacking.  Sometimes we also don't want to believe that we could be the cause.  Maybe the increase falls over the weekend have to do with staffing, or lack of programming etc.  Or maybe just the full moon!