How do you continue to be a caregiver when your parent has always had some form of mental illness...in my case Narcissitic Personality Disorder. My mother has always suffered from this and now trying to be a more closely caretaker is bringing me down. No one is realizing I cannot take care of her by myself. She is crafty and her aging just makes is all much worse. More and more calls from neighbors to the police or paramedics with her stunts. They say she cannot be alone but I cannot tolerate to be around her. She refuses to go to a nursing home, so now trying to find someone who will at least come and check on her a couple times a day at least to give her her psych meds. There is no one to help me. I have been of work for almost a month on FMLA and it seems to be a waste of my time, since she can do many things by herself...(she just tore apart the patio cleaning it ...an 85 year old pushing and pulling couches and vacumns...) mental illness in an aging parent..HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It all started in the garden, and he walks and talks with us, there.
DIVALPROEX 250 MG TAB 1 TAB 2 X A DAY
RISPERIDONE 1 MG TAB 1 TAB 2 X A DAY
My mom's next psychiatrist appointment is next Wed, that will be interesting.
Lately she likes to make more and more little messes. If you do something, rearrange something, clean something, she has to be right after it. I told the Homecare worker about this and she did the same thing to her. She had her clean the front window and the next day my mom said she re-washed it, and yesterday the Homecare worker even noticed it and said she scolded her for doing it. I said I did the same things to the things I did, but it really goes on def ears, they do what they want to do.
That's just the beginning. Still have huge house, 2 attics, basement, 5 bedrooms, umpteen closets, and tons of cupboards to go...along with antiques, ad nauseum. Should finance something special after all that hard work. It's called: compensation. Yee ha! And I get pretty geeked about the social aspect with our yard sale underground regulars! My one prayer is that my Mom doesn't show up for the sale. This is too small a town for a circus freak show or confrontation.
But, if Mom shows up, I'm shutting the garage door. She'd freak if she saw what I'm selling. (Her precious treasures...) Can't take em with her, though, and her apartment won't hold them. Anyway, if she shows up, and gets mad. What difference? She's mad all the time, anyway...
How about some friend volunteers to help you clean? Surely someone wants to be a blessing to you!
Chat later. Hope you all are blessed this weekend! :) Take care
Secret Sister, hang in there. So glad that you are here for us all.
Linda
Piratess For the garden--- Can you put drip hoses on a timer? Works great for me. This way I don't have to remember and it really uses less water! When we move I will morn for my garden, but I will have the chance to start a new one. Will take some of my dear friends with me and plant them at the new house.
Sad news. One of my dearest friends is transferring to the West coast. She is my gardening buddy. So I guess moving won't be so bad since she is leaving anyway. This way, I will in the same development as my best friend, but I will miss my gardening buddy!!!!!!
Good heads up on what you did with your mother's caregiver. The one my mom has better stop that crap as well as of next Tuesday when she comes again. She will find a checklist typed and tacked to the fridge. I told her I wanted her to do a safety/cleanliness check around the house. I wanted her to make sure the bathrooms were not a mess and neither the kitchen sink nor piles of mess around the house. I told her once that is settled then they could do anything they wanted after. I don't think that is too harsh of a thing to ask.
I am very lucky that we have a great agency, but it isn't cheap. Thanks goodness mom sold her house!
On the bright side she took her meds this morning. She got a good night sleep last night and that seems to make a lot of difference.
God must have a special plan for you. You are really doing a great job of caring and keeping your cool. I, not so much! I would have had my mom in a half-Nelson, kicking and screaming! Do you have video evidence of her behavior? A picture is work a thousand words!!!!
In my thoughts and prayers.
Linda
Linda
Linda
Take care,
Carol
Having all of the legal documents in place is going to be very necessary and it's good you are proactive. Keep checking back. We want to know how you are doing.
Carol