Happy Birthday "Stampede!" Style

Today Sheila had special visitors who dropped in to wish her a Happy Birthday.  Some friends of ours, Steve and Terri Taylor (better known as "Stampede!") came to sing for a few minutes.  She was so happy to see them.  After sharing some of our favorite songs of theirs they sang "Happy Birthday" to Sheila with a little "Stampede" flair

Thanks Terry and Steve for making Sheila's day so special!

PS.  Be sure to check out Stampede!

Things Are a Changin'!

Last night I got a call from the Social Worker at Mt. Ogden Health and Rehab about a change they are going to implement at the center. This is what I was told at the time:

“Because they have a problem with a dementia patient escaping from the facility they will be installing locks on the doors leading into Sheila’s hallway and those doors will now remain closed at all times. When we come to see Sheila we will have to enter a code to get through the doors. Is it okay that Sheila remains down that hall?”

At first we couldn’t see a problem with it. When we went to see Sheila last night we were informed that the center wanted to do this so that they could have a “lock-down” unit in order to be able to take in more patients with those needs. The residents down this hall, or in the “lock-down unit”, will have their own dining room/activity room.

Now we are concerned these patients, like Sheila, will be locked in with no one in the unit to watch and supervise what is going on. Will someone notice if Sheila is being confronted by an Alzheimer patient? Will Sheila be taken to the main dining room for her meals and activities or will she become a prisoner in her own hallway for the sake of convenience?

Please give us your feedback. We urgently want and need your opinions and thoughts on this. In advance thanks for your comments.

Someone's Birthday is Coming!

Tomorrow is Sheila's 46th birthday.  It seems like we just had her 45th birthday party.  This year we will have quiet little BBQ tomorrow with just the four of us.  Saturday, September 25, we will be having a small potluck get-together for all family and friends.  We know she has lots of friends that she hasn't seen in quite a while so this is an opportunity to just stop in and say "hello".  If you cannot attend you can send cards and letters to our home address, or you can send emails to: sheilasagers@gmail.com.  (We'll be sure to print them out and hang them in her room so she can see them!)