The Beginning

I wasn't sure how to start this blog but then I received this link to an incredible website. http://www.dayswithmyfather.com/#/0  You have to position your mouse at the bottom of the picture to click to the next slide. I have never been comfortable photographing people unless they specifically asked me to. I've never been comfortable photographing my family in particular. I always felt like the camera between us was somehow an invasion of privacy. It might capture things I didn't want to see. This site blew me away. I found it extremely intimate, powerful and above all, dignified.
I happened to be on my way to visiting my family when I received this link and decided that maybe I would make a few pictures of the "things" that surround my family these days. Mom is about to be 83, she is immobile due to advanced artheritis in both her hip and knee. She is not a candidate for surgery as she is also in an advanced state of Alzheimer's Disease. Rehab after surgery just is not an option and because of that surgery could make the situation worse. So she is moved around with two different lift assists. One to get her in and out of her chairs and one to get her to bed. This is the one the aides use to get her into bed.

It's strange being surrounded by different contraptions, lift assists, hospital beds, wheel chairs, etc. We are truly lucky, though, that we are able to have help so that Mom can stay at home.