IF you can keep your sense of humour - our relatives do some funny things at times. Light hearted look at some caregiving situations

My father was never good at being tidy but in his later years this got worse. I became an excellent detective finding “lost” keys, phone batteries, glasses....

I learn to never “react” just go with the flow and laugh - that way he didn’t feel so bad about telling me: One day he admitted he’d lost his keys. I replied “But you went shopping how did you get in?” Thats when he admitted they’d been lost for 4 days!

I realised he felt a bit daft admitting it and was getting worried. So I laughed and just said “Well we will find them." By including him in it rather than “I” will go look - even though it was only me really - we became a team. I’d note on a piece of paper where checked - it was a big house!

As I searched I kept checking back and repeated my question re how he got in after shopping. Dad was a chief executive engineer and always was tinkering with things. It turned out that in order to go out he had been leaving via the patio doors - entering the side door of the garage - dismantling the lock on the garage (!) driving the car out to shop - returning. Putting the lock back together - and re-entering via patio doors again!

Eventually by backtracking his daily habits I realised he always threw his trousers on the bed when changing to pajamas. Yep - he’d been sleeping with his keys for 3 nights!

I told him where I had found them and joked that if he’d told me earlier he wouldn’t have had to sleep with his keys or dismantle the garage lock etc!

By keeping it light hearted - I ensured he was much happier informing me of his latest “escapade” including some nasty falls that I had to rush to. Again I never reacted - just acted.

It got that he would happily “confess” to me - knowing I’d not make a fuss - just deal with and inject some humour. But would never tell my sister as she always “reacted”

A couple of other fun instances :

Chopping Garage door in half by accidentally accelerating at it - one half was on the ground - top half had a big dent! Replaced with stronger garage door !

Buying pills online and although cancelled they carried on delivering - wrote to company and a copy to bank - all monies refunded.

What funny activities do your loved ones get up to?