My husband and I bought my parents home, 8 years ago and combined living. 4 months ago mom had series of strokes, and is in nursing home. I have been dealing with depression for 2 years and been suicidal, hospitalized several times. Mom asks every visit, when is she going home? I decided not to visit for a couple of weeks to see if it will sink in that she has to stay there now. I feel so confused about this, but relieved too. Am I an awful person? I see my dad and mom asks him the same question about coming home. He understands she can't. Words of wisdom please. :)
My mother was in a nursing home over four years due to a stroke and a broken hip that she never recovered from. She constantly wanted to go home and even thought at times that she could walk again and could drive home. However, for her safety, it was not an option to take her home. No matter how often we explained to her why she could not go home, she would still ask to go home from time to time. I would try to divert the conversation to another topic or would say that such a decision was not mine to make, but the doctor's or would say that I'd talk with the social worker about it. What does your dad say when she asks him about going home?
Are you taking an anti-depressant? Are you seeing a therapist? If not, I recommend that you do to help you deal with all of this.
I am not going to tell you not to feel guillty, you do because you are a loving person. What I will tell you, parents don't have children so they can be a burden on them in the older years. I wanted to take care of my mom, and I am. She is in a place where she is getting the best care available, just as your mother. I too have several health issues and taking care of her here at home was beginning to take a toll on me also. Which if it had continue I wouldn't been able to give my mother the proper care she needed nor would I been able to care for myself.
Visit your mom or you will regret the little time you could of had with her. My mom doesn't remember me being there 5 mins after I leave. But we enjoy the time we have together even if she is still threating sucide if she can't leave with me. Love yourself enough to know you are doing the best thing for your mom by placing her in a place where she is getting the care she needs. God be with you and your family.
When my mother asks me "When am I coming home?" I answer, "I'm not sure mom, I'll ask" and then I IMMEDIATELY change the subject. The subject I change it to is immaterial, but a switch in attention is necessary. The best way to get her "invested" in the switch is to ask her a question about it. Could be anything? Where did you get those shoes? What day is it today? Who did you vote for last election? Anything to refocus her attention. You could also pretend you didn't hear the question.
It is VERY difficult for someone who does not have depression already to deal with this. It often takes a non depressed mind and drags it down into depression. It will make your depression worse. What good will you be to your dad with even more depression when you let the guilt get to you? What good will you be to yourself and your other family members? No good at all. Take care of yourself first. You can't take care of ANYONE else until you take care of you.
Given your recent illnesses, you may well not be the best person to either render the care or be living in the same home, understandable.
I firmly believe avoiding visiting to make a parent get used to a nursing home is never correct. If you can't go, get family members interested in her care to visit her. Any nursing home who wants you to ignore your mother so she gets used to a situation she doesn't want isn't acting in the best interest of your mother and probably is rendering substandard care. If they suggested this action --start shopping for a better nursing home asap.
For the fragile elderly living in homes, nursing homes or assisted living facilities, they all need to be visited regularly. They all need the reassurance that their spouse, children, grandchildren love them, that their life has a purpose. Feeling abandoned will not help them recover from any illness or deal with any long term disability.
Good luck do the best you can do. Get a family plan for your mother which does leave her with fears of abandonment.
route home to her husband of 55 years.
There is alot more to my story, but the point of it all, is to look at the positives of what a NH or AL can offer. The elderly need socialization, medication safety, and food. If you are the lucky one that gets those last years with your parents then you have to really look at what is best for them and you. My parents were wonderful people and they would not have wanted me to become unhealthy in order to prolong their life, especially if they are suffering. And I believe that now that they have both died, that every breath that I take is a breath for them as well. This is life. It's too precious and short to feel guilty and burdened. Ask for help, ask for His guidance, and give up situations that you have no control of.
I wouldn't advise to stop visiting, just visit and be honest. If that doesn't work, change the subject or bring some photos to go through. Bring articles from the paper to read and if you start to feel anxious, leave and go for a walk or talk to the nurses. You are feeling pain because you are a caring and compassionate person. I wish you strength to get through this time of adjustment : )
I encourage you to pour out your heart to God and tell Him all you are feeling and going through and then leave it in His lap. He DOES listen and is there for you 24/7 and He will help you see this in a new light.
God bless. Chris
Im now drained and have pains all over my body how much longer can I do this without going mad?
One thing that keeps me from feeling guilty is "my old mum would never have wanted me to be so miserable". Your mum would want you to be happy otherwise whats the point? Do your best but take time for yourself this job is impossible to do on your own I cant imagine looking after both parents even looking after my mum AND my cat is sometimes too much!
Chin up do your best and know that there are alot of people out there who do not care for thier parents like we do, you did everything to keep your mum safe and at home sometimes this just isnt possible I never in my life thought my mum would end up in a home and that it would be me who had to put her there but i know that I care for her very much but I just cant cope alone!
Big Hug this job is hard!
http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/news/publications/johns_hopkins_health/spring_2011/just_old_age__or_brain_fluid_buildup If keeping her home and enduring it there would of kept me and my sister from the pain we are having to endure now... we would of brought her home. I hate the homes for their inconsitant care and have so many stories from me and for other people placed there. I can't imaging what it is like for elderly who don't have someone like me, attending to drugs added, food not being eaten, bedding being stolen or lost, inattention, chair alarm I bought disappearing, on and on. But they want their money. I now know hell and hate that I let my mom receive it on on her way toward her death. I am being more than serious.
I am becoming really resentful. I hate having this feeling but I can't help it. I am paying over 300.00 a month so that they can stay where they are but they don't seem the least bit thankful. My mom calls me every day complaining about the food, visiting doctors and more. She has nothing positive to say. I don't know how long I will be able to help them financially. Their rent went up this year and if I don't help them, they won't be able to stay there. Every time I say they might have to do something different, she says she would rather die than go to a home. My dad says the same thing. We live in Austin,TX. Does anyone know of a good long term facility here? If my dad keeps falling, I am going to have to do something. Thanks for listening to me vent.
Alzheimers does become more and more difficult to deal with and what you are feeling like the person in front of you is not your mother anymore is the result of the disease and I would imagine that you are experiencing some anticipatory grief. Sometimes feelings like the urge to run away is due to feeling overwhelmed to the point of everything being beyond one's ability to deal with it all. It may be possible that your mother's Alzheimers has reached a level that is beyond your ability to take care of at home 24/7.Some of your anxiety may be a form of separation anxiety because your mother's increased decline means more separatedness from the mother you used to know and loved spending time with and could not imagine your life without. While it is tough to imagine your life without your mom being the mom she used to be, you will be able to go on with your life and with your marriage.
I assume that you are taking something for your depression and anxiety. If not, I recommend that you do. Also, I think seeing a therapist to help you with your emotions would be a good idea. I wish you the best.
Assisted living and skilled nursing facilities are not the worst thing for everybody. Some are very good, some don't work out for some people, some are very bad. Caregiving at home is not the best thing for everybody either. Sometimes it is not possible because the caregiver just can't do any more, or cope with the person's unhappiness or behaviors. Even if you are doing CPR, exhaustion if there is no one else to help is a reason to stop. Don't try to do a thing you cannot do/that cannot be done.
From the point of view of the person in the facility, they may want and expect to go home. it is understandable. My mom did the same thing - mediocre participation in therapy at best, but wanted to walk again and go home. To her home, by herself, no help beyond maybe a LifeLine and her good neighbors. It was not fully necessary that she ever say to herself or to me "I'm never going home again." We did al lot to make her life pleasant and to make good memories for all of us for those three years. It was hard. She never had to feel abandoned and oen of us (me) was with her when she died. As time goes on, I feel more comfortable saying it was the best we could do. There are little things that could have gone better, emotional upsets I did not need to have, but I did keep some bad things from happening and I did not destroy my family in the process...
These things are hard. If you can help it, don't let guilt and depression drive your decisions, or predjudices about facilities versus home care...nor ruin any quality of life you may have during these caregiving years, however long or short they may turn out to be. There is no one size fits all solution here!
Respond, "you can come home as soon as doctor thinks you are able" and leave it at that. Reassure her, you will visit often and say ute and fir or whatever you can manage. Bring little treats when you come, including maybe bringing lunch for you and her, or her and your dad and make it special and something to look forward to. Maybe even some home cooking you prepare and bring. Switch it up, and maybe do dinner or a Sunday brunch.
It is hard for the adjustment depending on her mental state. Talk to the case worker or her care team about your concerns and see what they recommend or ask for their help in smoothing the transition. Can you make her room more homey with large pictures, her favorite lamp or chair, familiar bedding, coverlet? Anything you can do to make it seem less institutional.
I have been where you are. I loved my mom so much...only daughter and she was my best friend. I had to really think about what was best for my mom. Skilled care offers that transition. It is not permanent, yet ,gives everyone involved a chance to step back, take a breath, and get an objective look at things. I always said my parents would NEVER be anywhere except in my care. That was my heart speaking and me being selfish. Others helped me see what was best for mom. She entered Skilled Care in November and by January, the "team" of professionals were able to guide me and encouraged my mom to stay in their care, as a NH resident, at least for the winter months. My mom was engaging in activities, eating better, no med errors, and she was praying for others again. She was only 76 so it was very difficult for me to have her stay there. I visited everyday! I put puzzles together with her, went to her physical therapy , she had her hair and nails done weekly without ever having to go outdoors, and the physical therapist had a dog that came to work with her, so my mom was overjoyed...she loved dogs. She would save scraps of her food and feed them to the dog when the dog made rounds. The NH had weekly Masses and daily prayer services,they gave my mom the chore of feeding the parakeets daily, and there was entertainment from school children, Bingo, Christmas parties, etc. My mom would still ask, "When can I go home?", but I think she thought she needed to say that because my brothers, who were of no assistance, wanted her out of there because it cost money and it was using their inheritance. Unfortunately, my mom caught the Flu in March and died within a week, but I feel good knowing I chose what was best for her the last few months of her life. She was smiling again. a sister-in-law told me,"Maybe she just needed to get right with God again after losing dad the year before." And I believe that to be true. Yes, I lost my dad in Jan 2011, and mom March 2012. My heart aches with their loss, but I have no guilt and I remained healthy through it all, thanks to love and support from others that had my parent's well being as top priority. You can always PM me if interested.
Though you and your wife are separated physically, at least you DO maintain phone contact, so, you are NOT abandoning her. You might consider also sending her a card every few days with loving notes. Women love cards.
GOd bless...........and I will be praying for you.
Chris