By Max Wallack
Puzzles to Remember
I want to share the email below that I received yesterday from a woman in Florida who wishes to pass on her puzzles to others through PuzzlesToRemember.
(I think we have found a good home for these puzzles.)
My mom is suffering from Alzheimer's.
We noticed changes in her for a while but she and my dad wouldn't let us help.
Mom had a bad fall and wound up in the hospital with dehydration and a UTI.
When she was sent to a rehab center she was so shaken and not responding to anything.
I spoke to doctors/OTs/PTs and aides. She wasn't responsive or active at all. One day I decided to go to the dollar store and as I shopped for puzzles - the simplest we're 10-20 piece Disney puzzles for children 2-5 - I sat down and cried.
I took a puzzle to mom when I went to the rehab that day and she yelled at me. "I'm not doing this" "what is this?" And she tossed it to the side. Is shook my head but at least I tried - at this point nothing was working.
The next day when I got to the rehab center, just before I entered the room I heard mom mumbling to herself. I stood outside and listened. I glanced in to see her in her chair leaning over her food tray table putting the puzzle pieces together. I smiled.....and cried again.
I went inside and although the pieces weren't all in the right places I told her it was amazing and I was so happy. We talked a bit and then I asked if I could work on the puzzle and we'd do it together. I had always loved puzzles as a kid and worked had on them together back then.
Mom is home now and we have progressed - more difficult puzzles, beading, puzzles with word or number associations. Her caregivers love them.
I read about your amazing organization -
Now it's time to pass along some of the puzzles.
Please let me know how I can do this.
Thank you
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