Richard is in Heritage Lodge.  He has a room of his own with a large ensuite, a sliding glass door onto a paved area with a table and two chairs, a tv, bedside table, chair and a bed that does everything but make a cuppa. 

Hardly slept last night for worrying.  Heritage is beautiful, even luxurious, more like a swish hotel than an aged care home, but the bed has no sides on it, the floor in the bathroom is hard and he's a long way from the nurses station.  He doesn't know/remember how to push the button if he needs to pee in the night.  The nurse said they would install a sensor to alert them when he got out of bed.  Hope they did.  No unfortunate phone calls or messages on the phone this morning so trust all went well.

Helped him to the loo twice yesterday, the first time very shaky and unbalanced, that familiar dread rising in my chest wondering if I could safely deliver him there and back.  Took so long he wee'd mostly on the floor but we did get there in the end (and I cleaned the floor, changed his clothes).  The second time was much better, more confident, slightly less wobbly.  He's been mostly flat on his back or sitting for over 2 weeks so will take a while to regain strength and what little balance he has.  But our goal is not to walk unaided -- too dangerous, rather we will get him mobile in a wheelchair.  Once he learns to drive it he has access to the common room, dining area, games room and the gardens. 

A bat colony is nearby, can see them from the parking lot and hear them from his room.  Birds and skinks abound.  Even those little snatches of nature will do him good, plus sunshine, blue sky and the sound of rain - which is coming this week.  Lots of rain. 

Saw and heard a couple of residents who are mentally challenged but most of the residents were well turned out women.  Dressed like they were going to the shops pushing trolleys rather than walkers.  Because Richard likes women and is a natural charmer I hope he will be 'adopted' by one or more of them.  It would be terrific if he makes friends and participates in some of the group activities -- there's stuff going on every day according to the activity calendar sheet.  I hope too he is accepted.  He isn't aggressive, abusive or violent but he does now sometimes exhibit the sundowner syndrome and he still has PTSD, although that manifests only as thrashing in bed and sometimes shouting. 
Just have to wait and see.

Received a somewhat patronizing lecturing letter from Cameron detailing all the things I must watch out for, asking innumerable questions and asking, bordering on demanding, to be involved in the decision making process.  A bit rich as he and his brother could not trouble themselves to come and visit him the 2 weeks he was in hospital.  Even Anthony who was primed to come and visit this week, if he could schedule work?!?, now makes noises about putting it off until Richard has been approved and is there permanently.  What difference does that make?  Cameron addresses all the questions regarding Richard's physical and mental health but ignores his heart health.  Like where are his sons?  Don't they love him? 

I answered the letter like I wanted to answer it, honestly, brutally, just to get it out of my system then went away and cooled off.  The letter I returned was reasonable, calm and to the point.  But I am disappointed in them.  I thought they were better men.  I thought they were more like their father.  But they are afraid and surprisingly, disappointingly, weak.