Caregivers and Stress
 

I have done it before and I KNOW I will have to do it again one day. It is extremely stressful please make sure that you have a support system so that you can get some me time away

My mother is no longer critically ill, she is still fragile but not on deaths door. She weighs 89 pounds.

She is demanding to say the least.

Red's mom lived with us for 7yrs. It was always stressful and it took a great toll on Red. Her mother had dementia and as it got worse it became undeniable that it was time to let go. Having to put her mother in a nursing home was not easy but it actually extended her life. As the counselor explained, once a person reaches a point where they know no one around them it is time to let go. The facility we chose for her to live in took her without any expectations and that was the answer. Red could no longer deal with watching her mother fade. Red needed to let go for her own sanity. The people where Red's mom lived knew her how she was not how she use to be. That is the hard part of letting go, you think your care and love will bring them back, the truth is it won't. It becomes a guilt trip for a lot of people.

Dee I don't know your exact situation but I will send positive thoughts your way. It's not easy and I commend you for deciding to take this on. Your mother has a great daughter and I hope you know that about yourself.

Peace!

I have cared for 2 partners who have passed and I got all wrapped up in caring for them that once they were gone I was lost. I felt I didnt have a purpose anymore. I wish I had more of a support system to help me get out and have me time. I have learned the hard way and I hope you dont.

Its feels like you dont doing all you can to take a few hrs a week just to be U. you will need it take it and DONT let anyone keep u from it

Thank you :)

((((( Red )))))) for Red, it must have been hard.

My mother and i calcified this role reversal in my twenties. Nothing that has happened over the years was without my consent.

So much of what is happening now brings up old stuff.

She is extremely CLINGY. When i don't invite her to do things, she becomes snarkly at me.

People say not to take it personally, how can i not? It stings!

Do you think for some it's a calling? Like some folks always seem to end up in a caregiving role.

In my group yesterday there was a lady there who was widowed, then her boyfriend who she was also caring for didn't want her there anymore. She was so lost. She said the same as you , she felt she has no purpose. Why do we feel we have to be caring for someone to have a purpose????

i was not asked to do this, i chose it.

i moved back to New Orleans, bought a house with an apartment/cottage in the back to put her in, because she wanted to be closer to her kin, only she has complained about just about everyhting and not found any happiness.

She wants to be IN my house. i want to live alone, and for the most part she is in here anyway, i don't want her here when i wake up and go to bed! There is no reason for her to be.

i was dillusional when i thought she would be happy in her little home. She clearly is not, and reminds me daily that she wants to be IN my house.

Bottom line is that there is old stuff.. that i will never be enough and she will always be miserable.

i have decided that i can't worry about what others won't do. My brother checked out LONG ago. i have to do what i need to do for me and let the rest go.

Some ask me how i can be so good to my mom with the upbringing that i had. i have my crosses to bear, she has hers.

I dont know if ppl r called to take care of loved one or not.

When both of my partners got sick and we knew they were going to pass I CHOOSE to stay.

I can say that neither of them really was one to complain however I know that no matter what you do for some it will never be enough. I had a friend who took care of her father and he was a piece of work.

By the time they had to find a home for him there was so much animosity tween all the family members it wasnt funny.

I swear if i have to take care of my parents i will but my brothers better b there to give me a break when needed

I'm the caregivee. My wife is the caregiver. I think that a person who has gone from being productive and successful and even adventurous has a right to be angry with themselves when they lose those qualities unwillingly. That being said, I don't think it's right to take it out on your caretaker. I know I've done this, but the times are few and far between. Usually it's happened after a lot of frustration has built up and she's wanting some recognition for what she's going through too, and somehow, I haven't done that.

It can start easily, maybe she was putting my leg wraps on, and making me feel like she was rushed or maybe she inadvertently bumped my other leg while passing the wraps over and under. Of course I'll say Please be careful, be careful of my legs. She'll get exasperated and claim that she is, with that tone that means she's heard this before. Maybe I'll feel the wraps are too loose and say so, and she'll say they aren't, and of course within a few hours, they are so loose, they've come undone. It can be the smallest of things. A tone. A sigh. A look. A certainty of being ignored, rushed, refused. I imagine it's the same for nearly everyone.

We've worked it through, but still we can have our days. She just needs to get out of the house, go to a movie, go out to eat. Just go away. I can't really go away. Maybe I can go to another room and stay there so she has some time to herself. I try to do as much for myself as I can, but even I had to come to grips with what I can't do. She worries about going too far in case I fall or get hurt (a brush with a empty cardboard box tore my leg open and it took months for that tear to heal).

I think we've worked out a lot of things, and she meets with my doctors after I have, in case there're things she's concerned about or wants to talk about privately. I also have to remember to recognize her, thank her for cooking, tell her what I did like about it instead of what I didn't like about it. Offer to fold the laundry since she's washed and dried it. Try to keep my side of the bed made when I'm getting up so that she doesn't have to. My arms aren't too badly affected so I offer foot rubs.

The most important thing I have to do is that when I'm frustrated, I have to remember not to take it out on her. She's likely just as frustrated as I am. I try not to deal with social security or things that will get me upset when she's around at all. And most importantly, I have to remember to thank her sincerely for what she does for me. Usually at night before she goes to sleep. I want to make sure she knows that I know that she's valuable to me and not just some health care giver that I got stuck with.

When my grannie finialy became so forgetful she didn't know where she was nor could she deal with the live in sitter I finealy went to night school to finish high school and cared for her myself,this went on for a couple of years.One morning I got up to my mother asking me where she was,I said check the bathroom,well grannie had some how unlocked the safety latches and was no where to be found.She was almost 80 at the time,I called the police,any and every one I knew,the mounted patrol that I belonged to got involved so for three days no one knew where she was.Then a friend of ours who owned the old family grosery
about a mile from home called to tell us they had her at the store,they herd something going through the garbage cans' thinking it was an animal so went to check it out then found her then called us.She was starving,covered in bug bites whit scratches plus bruises.I went to pick her up.thank goodness she knew who I was,I had her checked out by a doctor that said she was just a lost person who was probly on the river banks from the injuries she had but no one had done any thing to her thank goodness.We put her in a care facility that took really good care of her.BUT,I was the hardest thing I had to deal with at the time.We all blamed our selves for not being more aware of her roaming the house at night,but she had never done anything like that before.
Till the day she passed I went every day after school,brought her home on weekends and holidays there she was put on meds to help her be easyr to deal with.I'm glad she had such good care at the home but wish I could have done more,now I know I did all I could so did mom.The other family members,some did what they could some fell into the void.
Dee just take it one day at the time,go to what ever help group you have,as for the family that dosent feel they could help you cant' change them,I know I have tryed.One thing that could help is adult day care,I worked in one for a long time it was godsend for the families of the people that came that came,we had a nursing staff with a staff that really cared for everyone.I will send you all the energy I have to send.Take care .

I love this thread. Even for those of us who aren't primary caregivers now, there's a time when many of us will be on the caregiver or caregivee side in the future. Whichever side we fall on, I think it's helpful to have more understanding beforehand.

And as the daughter of a primary caregiver, I'd love to know how those caregivers here are most in need of support. As a caregiver, what most do you need from your loved ones who are not in the caregivee role?

I take care of my mother- not living full time with her, but 2-3 days a week.

It was interesting to think about the question of what support i need.
When I was recently hospitalized and then recovering, my friends took up my responsibilities to mom- and that was an amazing blessing (not least because it involved travel to her).

Also fascinating to have to be the one receiving the care, instead if giving it. (A short video about my illness is in my signature link)

I'm single, and starting off trying to schedule dating around eldercare can be tricky and/or embarrassing. I know I should think "If someone can't handle my devotion to my mother, it's a bad match!" But what if the woman is really hot and I just want to date her? Anyway.
When I had to live with my mom (she had a more serious situation then) it was also awkward to not be able to bring women home.

People have told me that I'm "tied to my mother's apron strings" and that it's usually a gay (male) clichè to fret over one's mother. As always, it comes back to sexism and homophobia I guess.

Ever since I started taking care of Mom I've wanted to make a dykeumentary about how lesbians - who were often kicked out their families for their sexuality (and/or gender expression) are the ones who end up doing the eldercare. Is there already such a film? If not, should we make one?

What an important thread.
 

How incredibly emotionally draining for any of you who find yourself in a caregiving situation with someone you love.

That being said, my situation is being the primary medical POA to my male parent. Did I mention he is a POS?

I believe it may be easier to deal with a parent whom you loathe as opposed to having warm and fuzzy feelings to someone you adore and like?

Any thoughts?

NImr t I struggle with the thought of one day being the caregiver of my father. I KNOW its going to fall on me. We barely speak he was still tried to b emotional abusive I learned to turn that off long time ago. I'm still dealing with his.chit from childhood damn sure don't want to deal with new chit now or in thefuture. Both of my brothers just hang around thinking when they r gone there is some money to get. We all were raised by these.ppl where they think they have money is beyond me.

I pray daily that if it comes to me caring for him that the anger, and fear I have for him will not show and that I will make WHATEVER time he will have left will b comfortable and some hoe loving

nat, i adore you!

I am going to read thru the post but i was reminded the other day that sometimes we are caregivers of ourselves, always.

Ever had to put your own needs above all else?

Thats a hard thing to do, and that in itself can be stressful.

The support group i went to the other day was all
About self care for the caregiver.

It was about admitting that its ok to be upset and losing patience. Its to want some time away.

A lady spoke up who has been married for 45 years to her beloved. He had a stroke. He is angry at the world and takes his frustration out on her.
She broke down and said she is ANGRY as hell because this is not the retirement she planned on. She does not know this post stroke husband. She feels robbed. She is at her wits end and i was glad she attended.

Helps me feel not so bad about my own situation.

Yes. Why are you doing this? What in us makes is us do such things .

Syr says i am an emotional masochist :|

VA Matching system and social security/ssi
 

Good Gods.... now that must be extremely stressful.
My mother only gets SSI and medicare. She pays for supplement insurance everymonth. It works for her. She has had some serious medical issues and it saved her from going into debt. Its a good insurance and she loves the peace of mind it gives her.

Then my sister decided mom needs to stop *wasting* $200.00 a month for supplement insurance. i disagreed. i have enough to deal with where my mom is concerned and chose NOT to deal with this. i told my sister she can take this issue up with my mom. She did, my mom said she didn't want to leave her insurance because its a good one and she trusts it.

That should have been the end of that.

She mentioned it to me and i told her that i was not interested.

THEN my sister writes to me a long snarkly email about the issues with my mother and once again turned it around that she is a victim of some sort.

Yah that ended well!

i got them and thank you.



My stress with my mom is not so much on the finance end, although she would be in a home if she did not live with relatives.

My stress is frustration. Frustration with her enjoying being helpless, her being inconsiderate and unappreciative. i am also very much aware that i put myself in this situation again.

You're doing the best you can and you have a big heart like me. You're in a tough place and she yanks that guilt cord. If it's any consolation I would've done the same as you have .... Really sorry Dee

Jar, you have no idea how much these words to me. Truly. i feel like no one gets me, and everyone thinks i am just stupid for doing this, again. Thank you.


i feel all i hear is *close your door, lock her out, tell her to go home, set her straight, don't do this don't do that, TELL her ... " especially from those who would never speak to her this way, like my sister.

and although all those things are the logical thing to do, they are not who i am.Maybe that's why i am in this situation. i feel i can do all those things and not in a way that makes things worse.

When i explore WHY i do this *thing* with her, and i do, i know its because of my upbringing, wanting that acceptance, but i am here now, i have to live with myself, and for me i have to figure out a way to make this work so i am not completely insane, and its one day at a time. New challenges everyday with her.

i came home today from work, and closed my door (signal for stay out!) and spent a while just being home and also sending a message that i am not available 24/7. The whole time i knew she was back there waiting for me to open the door. i am trying to train myself not to think about that and just *be*. THat is the part i am struggling with.

After two hours i texted her to tell her that she could come over and watch tv with me if she wanted to. No reply and she was in the door within 15 seconds.

i basically have to kick her out every single night to give myself time before bed. It feels like i am kicking her out, because going to her place is pretty much the worst punishment in the world.

Its hard to live this way, but i have faith that it will get better and we can get through this.

I left Atlanta and moved back home in 1982 to care for my terminally ill mother. I took her to the hospital for her chemo treatments, spent the nights with her in the hospital. The nurses were so good to us. They would wrangle a cot into my mom's room for me to sleep on. I have always raided the refrigerator at least once during the middle of the night. The nurses did not scold me for staggering out of my Mom's room half asleep in pajamas to get a couple of pints of chocolate milk and eat anything I found that looked good.

Dee, I want to make a couple of suggestions since you are involved in a difficult situation. Take great care not to let your battery run low. Also, it is very important that you make time for you and take it.

Best Wishes to You!

Some of us believe we can change a past a person an attitude or the future. The truth is we can only control that which is in our control and that is ourselves.

Yes, i feel i've done what i needed to do, now i need some self preservation.

The day will come where she is dependent on me, and i know it, but right now ain't the time.

Thank you, and thank you for the PMs with lots of information.

For me, i DO enjoy her company, i can talk to my mom about anything. We love doing the same things, flea markets, garage sales and good ole trip to wal mart. i love that someone is around here, what i don't love is her smothering me.

She will apologize this way "go, go have fun, its not your fault you have a life and i don't" Thats her version of an apology. :|

She sits in pity land watching my neighbors come and go, She misses working. Work was her ONLY social activity. She still goes to visit people where she used to work and envies them. She just point blank hates getting old.

special program for ssi recipients for medicaid, food stamps and medicare savings programs.