My mother is constantly packing to go home. She has lived in this home for 50 years but is ready to "go home'' every day. We don't know what to say to her or how to distract her. We tell her she lives here (I know, not helpful). Looking for advice and suggestions to tell her and how to not blow a fuse with all the frustration. Thank you
When my wife would ask to go home, I would say something like “I'm waiting for a phone call”, or “It's too cold right now, let's wait till tomorrow”, or “Wait till I'm done (doing the dishes, watching a program)” or any other fiblet you can come up with. Meanwhile offer a distraction like having a snack, going for a walk, or asking her to tell you about home.
Books like The 36 Hour Day and Surviving Alzheimer's are excellent resources especially written for the caregiver.
It will become your second nature to have this same conversation, and it will placate her. You want her to be different. To be content. You need to try to make peace with the fact that you want what you can’t have.