RK is still dumb

RK frantically called my sister today because one of the bank accounts had a negative balance. Clara had deposited a check earlier that hadn't cleared yet, so it was fine. Clara had told her this yesterday when she saw her in person, but RK told Clara this morning, "Oh. I didn't understand." After every single conversation, Clara and I ask her, "Do you understand?" and she shakes her head vigorously that she does.

Also, RK received a mortgage statement in the mail for the building. RK asked Clara whether she had written a check. This is absurd because we don't even have signing power for that account.

From these actions, we can deduce that:

1. RK does not only NOT understand most of the things that we tell her (which is fine) but (a) DOES NOT ASK FOR CLARIFICATION when we ask her if she DOES understand (which we ask her each time because clearly, we assume she might not understand, which is a definite possibility as evidenced by today's miscommunication) and (b) has a problem communicating with US which is pretty much out of our power because we always ask her if she understands, and if she says she does when she does not, that becomes her problem, not ours.

2. She does not understand what a mortgage statement looks like and thinks that it might be the equivalent of a check. Where has she been for not only the two years since my dad got sick but also for the past NINE years since she had married my father? She knows that little about a spouse's business? That a mortgage needs to be paid monthly?

3. She does not understand that Clara and I do not have signing power for that bank account (which she KNOWS... or at least should retain in her brain).

In conclusion, here is more evidence that it is difficult to communicate with her because (1) she does not pay attention; (2) she does not retain IMPORTANT INFORMATION (relating to money and basic facts); and (3) she fails to ask for clarification when she needs it... which is probably the biggest problem of all.

PS - Things haven't been THAT bad with her lately. So mostly, this is just frustration that some things don't change.