Living with Bob and "Al"

Well, Bob gave up on trying to cut the 36 piece Alzheimer puzzle pieces to make them fit, "Al" has moved on to soaking them in water.
Heavy sigh...

Living with Bob and "Al"

Sheri was washing dishes this weekend and was letting Bob help. "Al" was pleased to be drying the dishes the best he could. When they finished the dishes Sheri mentioned to Bob that he could sit down, rest his back and keep working on the puzzle he had been putzing with all weekend. "Al" sat down, looked at the puzzle pieces and said to Sheri "these look like they have all been dried already," "yes" he repeated to himself with confidence as he inspecting one of the pieces "these are all dried up already. so I guess I am done"   :)
heavy sigh...

Living with Bob and "Al"

"Al" is a very resourceful fellow. Bob causally mentioned needing to cut the puzzle pieces to make them fit again yesterday. Then "Al" nonchalantly held two pieces down in Bob's lap and Sheri saw the too familiar gritting of Bob's teeth, jaw clenched to one side. "Al" was tearing the puzzle piece to make it fit, very resourceful indeed.
Time to redirect:)

Living with Bob and "Al"

Sheri gave Bob one of his 36 piece puzzles the other day to work on. He has not been able to complete them any more, but will still work on it for a while. As Bob's frustration grew not being able to connect the pieces, "Al" turned to Sheri with his thumb in Bob's belt loop stretching out his back in his usual way, and said "I really just need a razor or scissors so I can get these pieces to fit." Sheri replied "Well lets see if we can move them around a bit." She worked with him on a few pieces  and went back to what she was doing. A few minutes later Bob repeated his request and asked Sheri for some scissors. Sheri made the mistake of saying that he did not need scissors. "Al" in a very angry and uncharacteristic way shoved the card table forward stood up with his jaw clenched tight to one side, raised his voice and said "then I might as well find something else to do, I need a knife to finish this it is an old puzzle it does not work anymore!" Sheri was not prepared for this outburst. Redirect she thought to herself, redirect. While she was trying to regroup Bob and "Al" took off to the bedroom. Sheri paused and thought "okay just give him a minute to cool down." Sheri waited and within a minute or two she hears the very familiar sound of Bob's whistling in the hallway. Bob returns to the living room calmly sits down at the puzzle. Sheri is thinking "Oh good he has forgotten his frustration". Well, Sheri's assurance that the situation had resolved itself ended quickly as Sheri glanced over just in time to see that "Al" ( determined fellow that he is ) was quite pleased with himself as he placed the exacto knife he lifted from the craft shelf in the hallway...  down by the puzzle. :)
No wonder he was whistling, no more puzzles for "Al".

Living with Bob and "Al"

Bob can no longer do his 36 piece Alzheimer puzzles. "Al" is frustrated and impatient. Sheri tries to encourage him but to no avail. She will say "you are the puzzle maker, I am the picture taker" Bob used to smile when Sheri said that, with pride written all over his face.
Such subtle and not so subtle changes.

Matthew 6:25
"For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26"Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they?

Living with Bob and "Al"

Rainy weather yesterday left Sheri struggling for something for Bob and "Al" to do again. She brought out his train puzzle. The 36 piece Alzheimer puzzle Bob likes. he worked on it for a good 3 hours and was so very close to finishing it, but "Al's" lack of ability to conceptualize left  him and convinced it must be complete just the way it was. :)

All "Al" had to do was move that whole bottom row of pieces to the top

He was headed in the right direction, even Zoey the cat was rooting for him

Oh, "Al" you were so close, back down to bottom he went :(

Living with Bob and "Al"

Because the kitties have taken over Bob's puzzle box, "Al" thinks he has all the proof he needs to defend his theory that the reason the (36 piece) puzzles are so hard for him... is because the cats are eating his puzzle pieces :)

Living with Bob and "Al"

Bob keeps asking Sheri if she wants to help with his puzzles. ( The 36 piece Alzheimer puzzles) in order to make him feel good about doing them, and to make sure she can use his puzzle time to get other things done Sheri has developed a standard answer. Sheri says "Who me? No... I am not good at puzzles. I am the picture taker, YOU are the puzzle maker." "Al" smiles from ear to ear. Some times she just has to get creative :)

Living with Bob and "Al"

Still to cold in the frozen tundra to do much of anything. Bob wanted to do a puzzle, Sheri thought that was a great idea too.  :) 3 hours later still working on the 36 piece puzzle "Al" says "There is no way in hell all the pieces are here, it is just not gonna happen" Sheri chuckled to herself, but at least it gave her time to do some indoor photography. ( But she really should have been cleaning house)
Oh but Bob, please to talk to "Al" about his language :)

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Living with Bob and "Al"

Poor Bob, "Al" got this far in the 36 piece puzzle, then "Al" scratching Bob's head said " I just don't understand why this isn't working... there are still big gaps but I have used all the pieces."

Gotta love him :)

Living with Bob and "Al"

It was still a bit to chilly in the frozen tundra yesterday for Bob's arthritis, so Sheri gave him another 36 piece puzzle to do. This time she decided to not guide or help so she could see his processes. Oh my... 4 and 1/2 hours later he is done. Sheri heard all of the following in those 4 1/2 hours.
1. Some of the pieces must be missing
2. I need a tape measure to measure the circumference ( that is the not so handyman talking, because the puzzle is square )
3. I need to write to the makers of this and complain it doesn't work
4. Where are the intructions?
5. The only way this is going to fit is if I cut the piece down
6. Something is just not right here
8. I think the cat took some pieces
9. This looked so easy, I don't understand why this is so hard
10. This is a trick puzzle, I think you should try it.
Sheri wanting to show confidence that he could do it said " well if you can't do it then I know I can't do it" "Al" replied "Yes, that is true, because I won spelling bees all over the world."
"Well then" Sheri thought... there you have it!

Living with Bob and "Al"

Bob managed a hardware in his last career. He was a "I can build anything fix anything" type of a guy. Sheri bought some puzzles designed for Alzheimer and Dementia victims. A 36 piece puzzle with huge pieces. When Bob started it he said "well with the size of these pieces this should be easy." An hour into the puzzle Bob said "well this is a little trickier than it looks." Bob has no self awareness of his disease, hence no understanding of why a 36 piece puzzle is difficult for him. It took "Al" 2 1/2 hours...Sheri watched and guided him struggling to build the frame of the puzzle first (something Bob had always encouraged the kids to do) but "they" got the 36 piece puzzle of a train together with great pride.
Sheri was pleased, and it got "Al's the handy is gone out of the man" stamp of approval  :)
http://www.springbok-puzzles.com/category/alzheimers-puzzles