April Goals

[LittleGopher]

Sorry for what you're experiencing with your dad - I had to do the same a few years back with my mom.

When I was checking out facilities, my state had just introduced the "nursing home report card". I did a quick internet check, and it looks Illinois has it too through the department of health. Though the name says "nursing home", I also found assisted living facilities listed. With the info online, I looked through the report card, and found I could narrow down the facilities to a smaller list to personally visit. We used it to find a suitable assisted living, and eventually a nursing home with memory ward, for my mom, and we were very pleased with both facilities. For my family, the site offered the info needed to help us feel more confident in making such big decisions.

Best wishes to you!

[snafu]

MH: Sorry dad's condition requires assisted living/nursing home care. You've been handed a task that is very difficult on so many layers. Does DD have a social worker who can give you an overview of what will serve dad best and what you need to know/ask at the facilities you visit? Can you get help from a friend or relative for a 2nd opinion .

[marvholly]

Snafu
My town has a social worker as does the senior building where his current apt is and the rehab place he is currently in. I plan to start w/visits and/or phone calls to them. Then I will prob check the state report card and start visits. Think I may want to visit for a tour/overview and again in the eve/on weekends when I can talk to residents AND their family members who may be visiting.

I KNOW I will need to check menus as Dad is somewhat picky (no pork, limit chicken to 2x/week, little fish). I also will need to find out if he must/can bring his own furniture.

[marvholly]

I checked w/my town social worker & the rehab place social worker. Both just gave me bookletts (read advertising) to go over.

Talked to the social worker at his senior building and she did give me some suggestions.

I have about 6 places to call/check out.

I have made some progress on my April goals. I have been eating from my pantry & freezer except for perishables that I regularly plan in (yougurt, cottage cheeese, fruit, salads, veggies). I did 3 drawer interiors in the kitchen on Tue-7 to gobut only about 3 are bad ones. Currently my driving milage is under decent to good control BUT as I run around to check places for Dad that will hit the.....wall.

[marvholly]

Wed accomplishments:
Spent 1 hr on line/30 min on phone looking at some assisted living facilities for my Dad.
Cleaned & decluttered 4 kitchen drawers.
Tossed 5 handfuls of ….junk.
Organized plastic bag collection-you don’t want to know
Cleaned rest of appliance exteriors-yes, I got the stepladder & did the top of the fridge.
Moved a leather wallet to personal use and moved/cleaned all my ‘stuff’ to it.
Put 1 item in donate pile.

Thursday: Clean shelf & floor in master bedroom closet.

Went over the shoes on the shelf in my closet – Had 26 boxes of non-everyday shoes (those are on the floor). Put 4 into donate pile. NOTE: I am NOT a shoe shopaholic. Of the 26 pair 5 are VERY dress up and 17 I got when my Mom passed away. Tossed my ‘winter kill’ shoes & a worn out pair of Reeboks. Will use the flip-flops on my closet floor for the next 6 months.
Recycled a bunch of plastic dry clean bags from the closet shelf.

[carolan]

Love your plan....you are an inspiration! Once you have finished decluttering, you might want to try my house rule....bring in a new pice of clothing and an old one goes out (preferably to the needy). The men in my house don't like it but they do it! Then they actually feel good about helping clothe the needy.

[marvholly]

I already apply your delutter system to clothes, shoes & household permanent typ items.

[marvholly]

I may need to give myself 1/2 to all of May to accomplish my April goals. Between time on the web, on the phone and actual visits to places I am lookng at for my Dad to live I am spending a HEAP of time. Add in 3 grandkid bdays & the holiday and I am WAAAY behind.

[snafu]

MH: I'd give priority to 3 grandkids. It helps to write down all your goals...I call it brain dump, and prioritize A's for those that have deadlines attached like finding suitable living arrangements for dad, bills to be paid, AC filter cleaned/replaced for example. Everyone has 'daily's' which can be made easier to zip through like personal hygiene, meals, tidy + one assigned task. Rate those that have consequences attached as 'B's' like meals plan, grocery shopping, gas up car/check tires/spring tune-up.

It's your agenda, your priorities, your days, weeks, months... 'C' assignments for me are confined to one room or one project that stretch an entire week, in at least, two, 20 minute segments per day. the 'D' stuff are tasks/projects I'd like to do, need to pass off on someone else or need to quit lying to myself and just deep end or prove it's worth paying someone [out of family] to do. Just now I am arguing with myself about hiring window wash firm [4 level condo] and will hire a painter to professionally spray cupboard doors.

When unexpected stuff happens, it gets added but I love to run a hilighter thru any task completed and liberally add 'rewards.'

[marvholly]

I may NOT make my reduced mileage goal this month. I am already at 272 as of Thur eve. I know I will be doing another 75ish by the end of the month so it is VERY tight. I did put on a bunch of extra miles checking new living places for my Dad, getting an estimate on my car and extra driving to DD1 (not a full extra as I did w/ a planned to visit my Dad). AND I have accomplished NOTHING on the spring-cleaning list this week. My current plan is to attack that this weekend along w/some decluttering, as I have no other commitments. That in itself will keep me from any driving or spending.

[marvholly]

I mostly did regular house stuff over the weekend. I did do cobweb patroll on my bedroom level.

Today is my day to make calls to follow up on places for Dad, look into a different cell phone plan (my phone is 6 1/2 yr old and battery is going) and really check out my 'planned' Medicare supplement so I can sign up for it to be effective when my Medicare goes into effect.

[snafu]

We are so envious of your cell phone choices, suppliers & plans...

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[marvholly]

Knocked 4 items off my list over the last 3 days but added 3 more as I spotted some thing I NEED to do. At this point the list includes 80 individual items and I have only managed to do 19. Most of the tasks that remain are BIG time eaters like wash windows (have about 20), wash & polish all wood furniture, wash or vac all window coverings. I do have broken these down on a room or level basis so they are less intimidating.

[snafu]

Good going on getting 4 tasks done. Expect to add to the list as you notice new jobs. Just keep up with daily's, tackling at least one item each and every day and remember you're w-aaay ahead of those who let tasks pile up and become overwhelmed and paralyzed. Give yourself a reward for a job well done!

[marvholly]

Snafu
My reward is going to HAVE to be extinding my deadline into/thru May. Actually, turns out my 'list' has become 85-100 items.

I am/have been having MAJOR problems keeping to my driving/limited mileage goal.
I think I am going to have to treat this like I do my spending by setting a weekly amount and when it is gone it is GONE!!! I will have to plan for something like a trip out to DD2 (82 mi rt) and save up/borrow in the weeks before & after.

I know how many miles I use on a shopping/errand/visit my Dad run (25 mi rt) and how often I go. I know how many miles a controlled drive run to Aldi, library, local fruit market and Walgreens is ((4 mi rt). For May I am going to limit myself to 2 Dad runs and 2 controlled runs/week. I also have to save/borrow for a trip to DD2 I know I am doing.

With the price of gas and what I NEED to do at home I MUST take charge of driving.