90 Years Old

Today is my Mother's birthday.  Ninety years old.  We were planning to go see her but she has other plans with her sister and niece.  That's OK, we are having a birthday party for her on Saturday at my nephews home.  She is very healthy but she does have some issues with confusion and memory.  It is not just long term memory.  She has no trouble remembering people.  

She doesn't drive much anymore.  She probably shouldn't drive at all.  She mentioned to us the other day she didn't recognize where she was one day and kept driving until she got someplace she did recognize.  This was in an area she has been in most of her life.  But since she doesn't get out much and hasn't for years now that was understandable to me.  Things have grown and changed in her area, in fact all over town, to the point I don't recognize areas anymore.  I don't get lost since I am aware of where I am, it's just not like it was the last time I was there a few years ago.  However, I can see this being an issue in the future.  I am placing a device in her car that will allow me to see where it is.  Her living so far from us makes it even harder to stay on top of things.

An assisted living facility is in the very near future.  She and my Dad did that once a few years ago and it was a fiasco.  So she has very definite opinions that make it difficult for us.  Same as last time.  We hope to move her nearer my brother and I if we can get her to understand why her choices aren't the best.  

There is much much more I could say and I may have said too much already.  I start writing and things come out that maybe shouldn't.  To me they complete the story and I don't quite know how to put it all down without intruding on her privacy.  Just know this is more complicated than it sounds here.  But the sooner we get her somewhere the better IMO.