Just sharing: "Took my mom on her last overnight trip"

This is just for sharing and it will be therapeutic for me to share:
My mom has been asking that I take her back to visit in the town she lived in for 60 years before moving near me. I finally did, booked 2 nights, took a 4-hour car ride, to visit her other granddaughter and great grandkids and a couple of her friends. My mom did great on the car ride, and did pretty well until about 6pm (an hour after her typical dining room time). By then she was exhausted (as I was), she didn't cope well at the restaurant, but we got through it and returned to the hotel, but she had to pack super light and so didn't have "her stuff". She was very discombobulated, but tried to follow her nighttime routine. I assisted her into the shower/tub, much to her "embarrassment", but then she thanked me! I got her into bed, and she finally slept through the night. What I learned is that she is incredibly routine-based, which is a huge factor in her ability to live "independently" at her AL, but without those routines, she really struggled and I'm glad she got her last visit in her hometown, but it will be the last overnight trip we make. She was glad to get home and back to her routine and known environment.

This is a HUGE shoutout for the benefits of a structured AL residence. Her routines are carrying a tremendous amount of cognitive load for her and matches the way her brain works. It allows her a feeling of independence. She navigates her life and routines there well.

We will now focus on getting her out for day trips, a drive down the coast for lunch etc.

Thanks for listening.