A Little Lost
Lyn needed to have the linens on her bed freshened. Mom asked Lyn to strip her bed and put the sheets into the washer. Lyn pulled the sheets off the bed, put them in the washer, dropped in a detergent pack and then froze. She didn't know how to turn the washer on. Panic prevaded her expression.
Mom covered for Lyn by asking her to pick out a set of clean sheets from the linen closet while Mom got the washer started. Lyn went to the linen closet and stood there, looking for the sheets. Mom reminded Lyn that the sheets were on the second shelf. Lyn insisted there were no sheets. Once again, Mom stepped in and gracefully covered for Lyn.
Even though no one was there to see what was happening, the covering is necessary at this point. We're not hiding from Lyn that she cannot do something. We're just easing the fact that she cannot by redirecting her elsewhere. This is actually a kindness to her so that she doesn't feel frustration or increasing disappointment that she cannot follow simple directions.
When Mom asked Lyn to put the sheets on her bed, Lyn again started to panic. She didn't know how to even begin unfolding the sheets to identify which sheet needed to go on the bed first. Mom assured Lyn that it was ok because it was time to leave for day hab and it would give Mom something to do when she returned.
Lyn used to know that we were covering and she was very good at covering for herself. I suspect that we're moving beyond her ability to recognize that this is happening. Instead, we see that she is just relieved when a simple solution is presented to her. Without these rapid little interventions, Lyn would be lost in her own home.
Mom covered for Lyn by asking her to pick out a set of clean sheets from the linen closet while Mom got the washer started. Lyn went to the linen closet and stood there, looking for the sheets. Mom reminded Lyn that the sheets were on the second shelf. Lyn insisted there were no sheets. Once again, Mom stepped in and gracefully covered for Lyn.
Even though no one was there to see what was happening, the covering is necessary at this point. We're not hiding from Lyn that she cannot do something. We're just easing the fact that she cannot by redirecting her elsewhere. This is actually a kindness to her so that she doesn't feel frustration or increasing disappointment that she cannot follow simple directions.
When Mom asked Lyn to put the sheets on her bed, Lyn again started to panic. She didn't know how to even begin unfolding the sheets to identify which sheet needed to go on the bed first. Mom assured Lyn that it was ok because it was time to leave for day hab and it would give Mom something to do when she returned.
Lyn used to know that we were covering and she was very good at covering for herself. I suspect that we're moving beyond her ability to recognize that this is happening. Instead, we see that she is just relieved when a simple solution is presented to her. Without these rapid little interventions, Lyn would be lost in her own home.
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