Multi-Tasking

Right now I am...

Isn't it nice to be able to get several things done at once? I forget to appreciate that ability. I must confess that, as research has shown, multi-tasking often means that much gets done, but little of it gets done very well. At least in my case, where I find that the water was forgotten in the same place for four hours, a kleenex escaped my notice when I loaded the washing machine, and Mom thinks something is wrong because I am ignoring her. But, still, it feels like an accomplishment, all the same.

I watch Mom go through her ritual of getting dressed in the morning. She still tries to multi-task, but it is much more difficult because she gets more side-tracked for longer periods of time. As a result, taking her morning coffee & pills, dressing, making her bed, and tidying her room takes her 3 1/2hours. Of course, part of that is just the snail pace at which she moves. Because her mind is still so good, she gets frustrated with herself, but I am impressed that she gets everything done. Sometimes I step in and help nudge things along, but for the most part I don't because it keeps her moving and I am beginning to see how if she stops moving, she'll soon be in a wheel chair.

I also think about how Alzheimers stopped Betty from being able to make choices or complete even one task, let alone several. Finding out what flavor of ice cream she wanted and whether she wanted it in a cone or a dish had to be broken down into either-or choices; vanilla or chocolate, cone or dish. So, I guess being able to even attempt multi-tasking is a good indicator that our neurons are still firing. Our attention may lapse a bit, but there is still hope.