Kelley Irwin

One day in Oct 2022, Dad asked Mom to take him home. At the time, he was sitting in his favorite chair in the house they have lived in for 5 years. Dementia is a formidable foe to logic and reality.

She tried gently to reassure him that he was home. I showed him around the house pointing out familiar rooms and furniture. He simply responded that I might think we are in his home because they make all these houses look alike, but he needed to go now.

It was obvious the distraction and other tactics we had used before would not work today. Mom simply grabbed the keys and said okay, let’s go. She drove him to the supermarket and then turned back toward home. She asked him which way they should go. Dad successfully navigated all the turns and guided her to their driveway. We stopped trying to make sense of the fact he doesn’t know he is in his home, but is able to navigate his way to it.

When they walked in the door, I said hello. Dad looked at me and asked “how did you know to come here?” I smiled and said you told me to meet you at home.