Mom is ready for the clubhouse at the Ascarate golf course!
JULY 10, 2021 Dad plays golf 3 days a week, Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. They eat cereal for breakfast, take a nap, and we are out of the house by 9:30 to get to the golf course by 10 AM. I get Mom ready, and I get ready after. Mom loves her house blouse and her kleenex.
I drive them everywhere. I insisted after riding in the back seat while Dad went. He was 90 years old at the time. Mom read her magazine, and I read my book or on my blog. Our wait time was a couple of hours.
While caregiving, my needs came second to my parents. I always ensured they were safe and stayed with Mom the entire time Dad was on the golf course. I confirmed he had his iPhone, so I would know where he was. If he waited too long in one place, I knew he couldn’t find the golf ball, or he had fallen. It was never the case. The golf course was a safe place for Dad.
Caregiving can make one nervous and unable to relax. I was not exercising techniques to calm myself most of the time, and my behavior betrayed the calm I tried to display. On the other hand, Mom had been going with Dad and staying in the clubhouse on her own for years. I knew she needed help now and tried my best to tend to her needs with kindness and respect. I remained vigilant over their care. Granted, it was easier when I first arrived, but later it was difficult to watch both parents 24/7.
