Y
ears ago, after my grandmother died, my cousin came to live with my grandfather.
While Grandpa’s daughter shopped for him and did his laundry, his grandson Butchy lived with him and was in charge of keeping Grandpa “safe.” Grandpa had dementia, and his behaviors included fleeing the house in the middle of the night to the cemetery next door and leaving the gas stove on.
Butchy was in the house to keep an eye on him, but most of Grandpa’s day was spent sitting in front of the television with little stimulation.
Butchy prepared meals, but given his limited culinary skills, TV dinners and canned soup were often on the menu.
However, even with his limitations,