Care homes and christmas

One DGM went out each Christmas. The other, who had severe Mobility issues, did not due to the difficulty getting her into a car and then there being no accessible toilet.

We took my mum to my daughters.
It was absolutely horrendous.
We opened gifts first but it was clear mum was confused and didn’t understand what was happening.

We began a beautiful meal and as she was finishing the main course she said ‘I’m not going back there today. Bring me a phone and I’ll ring round and find a new one’. We explained it was Christmas Day and she wouldn’t be able to move just like that. She was just like a toddler - this was new behaviour to us. She thought I was her mum and shouted at me. The children were crying and we just didn’t know what to do.
I tried reasoning with her, but in the end, we just had to get her in the car and take her back to the care home, where she entered with a huge smile and began chatting to the other residents.

Looking back - we shouldn’t have taker her out of the care home, but my dad had recently died and I was intent on including mum as best we could.

Unfortunately she too passed away in February. 💔

My Granny was in a care home where she was very well taken care of. My parents also did not have a downstairs toilet but did have a camping toilet, but she started to get quite confused and very stressed about being taken out of the home and so it was decided that she would stay there for Christmas and the family would all visit on different days. There were lots of other residents who stayed there for Christmas too for similar reasons but the staff made it really lovely for them. My PIL both now live in a home, they used to come to us every Christmas for many years, we do have a downstairs toilet but as MIL became less able and needed a frame there was not enough room in there for her and the frame. PIL are both now quite immobile and will be remaining in their care home for Christmas. I am sure there will be lots of residents remaining there on Christmas Day too and we will all visit at some point. Much better for her to remain in the home with experienced staff than to struggle with her mobility and possibly risk her falling.