Sunday Scribblings #93 - THE DATE ...

After the regular monthly outing to the club he said he needed money, telling me, she took my last $30.00 to play poker machines … my antenna went up!

Then he told me she suggested they would go out on Saturday. I enquired to where, he told me to the shops.

I asked her didn’t she have something better to do. Ohhh no she replied, I don’t do anything on the weekend, he is bored, I could take him to the shops and maybe to the local club to play poker machines … alarm bells rang ...

He’s 92.5 years old. Diagnosed with early stage dementia, he walks with the aid of a walking frame, he’s incontintent, dribbles a lot, eats with a bib clipped round his neck, is mobilised in a wheel chair, doesn’t remember what he did yesterday … yet would have you believe he is in ultimate control …

He is besotted with her. His chest puffs out, his eyes light up when she appears.
She is 40 years old, employed as a diversional therapist in the high care nursing home where he resides. She took a shine to him some months ago and became jokingly referred to, by all and sundry, as “the wife.”

The joke has backfired – is she another Anna Nicole?

I expressed concerns re ethics, code of conduct and professional distance to her superiors, but … they ‘d put a stop to the date after seeing her entry in the daily activities register. I'm told she’s previously been warned about similar behaviour …

The date was cancelled …

He asked for a writing pad, I asked wasn’t the note pad he had OK, he sternly replied it wasn’t, he wanted to write letters … currently his signature is illegible.

For the first time for a year he asked to see a copy of his bank statement ... my antenna shot up again!

I suggested it would be best not to write letters. The situation is inappropriate, she could lose her job, wouldn’t it be better to leave things as they are …

He looked at the bank statement and wanted to tear off the account details telling me he needed the number so he could get money ... when I explained he needed his card or chequebook he was confused ...

Last year he was infatuated with a massage therapist who visits the home in a private capacity. He’d engaged her to do hand and leg massage at $65.00 a time … he'd thought her service was all part of the regular service … be was beguiled, he had her home phone number, wanted her to meet me ... that date was cancelled too ...

Don't be misled, this isn't a sad story, look at the funny side ... at the continuing saga of a man who's been a cad his entire life and at 92.5 still thinks he's ready for a date ...