Sleeping and waking up enriched

 

　When my mother was an elementary student, one early morning, my grandmother waked her up roughly by opening a window. There were many factory workers outside. They were on their way to work. In those days, Japanese factories opened their business early.

 My grandmother said, “They had to wake up really early in the morning to work. I am a teacher. I have woken up now. I can be a late riser because I studied very hard when I was young. My dear daughter, you need to study very hard. If you don’t, you have to wake up early every day in the future.”

 I don’t know whether my grandmother’s advice worked. My mother graduated at a prestigious university. I suspect that my mother studied very hard because she wanted to be a late riser. I think this is not a good reason to study.

 My father worked for a newspaper company. He started work in the middle of the night and came home early morning. Then he slept during daytime. When he reached retirement age, he started a new lifestyle: waking up early in the morning. He used to go to bed at 8:00 p.m. and wake up at 3:00 or 4:00 a.m. He would walk to the park and watch the sunrise every day. This lifestyle might be his dream for a long time. Waking up early in the morning could be a rich experience.

 I lived in our house with my mother who had Alzheimer’s disease. An Alzheimer’s patient often makes troubles even in the dead of the night. Having good sleep was difficult for me in those days. I finished graduate school. If my grandmother’s advice were true, I might have been a super late riser. But her advice was not true. Sleeping and educational background are not related.

 Being a late riser could be a rich experience. Being an early riser could also be a rich experience. Both of them are a deeply enriching experience.

 I think the best sleeping habit might be like this: going to bed when you feel sleepy, not setting any alarm, no one disturbing your sleep, not even caring if it is day or night. You get up when you naturally wake up. Your natural sleeping cycle depends on your mental and physical condition.

 This must be a great lifestyle. I wish I have this lifestyle someday.

Picture by BlueRingMedia

 

Cellphone

 

 

When my mother had Alzheimer’s disease, she lost the ability to use a cellphone.

 After about five years, I decided to let her have a cellphone again. I wanted to avoid missing her.

 She always had her favorite bag when she went out. I tied a cellphone to the bag. I provided some instructions with the cellphone. I covered most of the push buttons with packing tape. She could see and make a few speed dials. I wrote my name on one of the speed-dial buttons.

 We trained every day. I would say, “Please call to Shu.” Then I would make her hold the phone and push the button. Then we would talk for a while. She also trained to receive calls from me. I called her up from the next room. She practiced getting the phone.

 It is said that learning something new is difficult for an Alzheimer’s patient. But finally my mother learned how to use the cellphone. Even if she got lost, she could contact me.

 Nevertheless, these efforts were for nothing. She never used the phone when she was alone. Thanks to the care manager, helpers, day service crews, my father, my wife, and of course herself, we always knew where she was.

 I thought of an invention: a cellphone specialized for Alzheimer’s patients with just a few speed-dial buttons. On the buttons, there are names and pictures. An Alzheimer’s patient may find it easy to use but would sometimes need help. In most cases, not many caregivers can really help the patient. That cellphone could help connect the patient to caregivers.

Picture by Purin