Shaving
You never think that shaving would be a big task. Well, if the someone who is shaving has Alzheimer's than it is a huge task. Every couple of weeks my mother and I were taking JW to the barber so they could use the professional clippers on Dad to get the tough whiskers off of his face. That in it's self is a major field trip. It is very hard for JW to get into their car, it is too low to the road. Once we got him in the car we had to get him out. Mother weighs in at a hefty 87 pounds. She is very small. Dad is 6'2" and even though he has lost alot of weight in the last 4 years still alot to move. We decided that it would be better every time we took him out to do it in my SUV. Once we arrived at the barber we would have to park at the front and get him out of the SUV and in the door. He can walk but with great difficulty and steps are a big effort. The barber did a wonderful job and treated him with kindness and respect. I decided that it may be worth the trouble to buy clippers and we could do it at home. I was a complete failure at this. I could get some of the whiskers off but I could never get a close cut. I guess I had too much of a light touch. Not only was I scared of cutting Dad's face but I also could not push the clippers through his mustache. I did okay on the cheeks but any where near his mouth I got too scared.
Last week I decided that one of the neighbor's teenage son that had told me that he cuts all his friends hair and he could shave JW with no trouble at all. Okay, I took a deep breath and told him he could try and shave my Dad. My husband, James, would be with him and supervise. Dad would not allow someone that he was not familiar with touch him much less shave him. I went to work and prayed the whole time that this would work. I received the text after about 45 minutes and everything went fine. I was so relieved that this was one task that I would not be required to do once a week. Dad looked wonderful and Josh (the neighbors son) made $10. in the process.
The barber will still do the haircuts though. Dad needs to get out of the house, once in awhile.
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