Mother is 83 lives alone in a big home. Has a dog. She is very frail,has bad feet,bunions,calluses,corns,etc. She has a deformed right leg(from childhood)which is always bent.She walks hunched over.She has copd.Diabetic.She is extremely hard headed & overdoses on otc meds(sleeping pills,nyquill,etc). She has forever taken xanax also. I told her she is a drug addict. Her whole day consists of laying on the couch or sitting in a rocker. Wont watch tv,wont go out,just complains over & over or sits around bawling all day. When you ask what's wrong now she just lets me have it! I go there every day for 2-3 hours,clean,wash dishes,vacuum,mop,walk the dog,make meals,get the mail,pull weeds,you get the drift. No matter what I do she is always down & depressed says she just wants to die. She uses a walker,wheelchair,cane & anything else for support but just sits all day! I've been to her docs & specialists & they can do so much. I think she needs a psychiatrist. I really do. She's always tired & wont discuss al or health aide cuz she says she cant afford it. She is on medicare & ssi. I dont have any funds to help pay for anybody either. So what should I do? Im in Florida. Should I contact the Counsel on Aging down here(st lucie county). Can they help? I do not live with her. She doesnt drive.She just seems to have given up on life & wants to take me with her. Also when I suggest getting outside help she tells me "why? youre around". Ive been doing this for 8 yrs & Im very burned out! Also I dont drive either! I dont know what to do. It is very rough on me. Oh and I live alone also(which I love). Yesterday I just blew up on her because of her lies. Any suggestions out there?
Did the Agency on Aging have any help for her and you?
If you did leave her to her own devices, the dog would not be cared for, and 911 would eventually get tired of the merry-go-round too, and surely they have to keep taking her to the same ER, where they will also be on to her. I take it you can't get guardianship and get her in to a different situation where the excess Xanax would get out of her system and let her get undepressed and maybe less impaired behaviorally, but I suppose you could shut off a lot of the complaining by telling her that if she is so sick, she is too sick to be at home by herself and she will have to sell the house and use the money to pay for assisted living.
If you are stuck seeing other specialists with her anyways, if she does not let you accompany her in to the visit, you are stuck trying to let them know in advance what is really going on; if you have any option to, get her to a comprehensive geriatric evaluation. (That way she can say "you just want to put me away somewhere and take all my money" even though she does not have money, at least not that you know of, or hey, maybe you will find out...) but seriously, it would give you more of an idea of what you are dealing with in terms of cognitive function and possibly be a way to set up her medical care - which it sounds like she does need- so it is not contingent on her acting sick. Anything but a vicious cycle of aches and pains that would be expected with old age and her conditions, trips to the hospital, getting blood work and being told "nothing wrong with you" when in her mind, she feels like crap and there has got to be an explanation, therefore even more acting up next time to get someone to try to make her feel better. Steroids acutely give you a boost in mood though chronically they cause more depression and mood swings.
So, what I am suggesting, is distance yourself emotionally from the sheer torture of dealing with this, and try to break it down behaviorally from her point of view, and account for possible losses in brain function due to the combination of old age, long-standing diabetes, and the wrong drugs for anxiety and depression. Deb, you are probably the only one who can find the off-ramp to the merry-go-round here; she either can't or she is getting enough out of the ride that she does not want to - but honestly - she sounds terribly unhappy and as you said, in a way she is just seeking a vacation from her life as it currently is.
So yesterday she starts AGAIN. Did I send in her ambulance payment? Yes I did mother. When are you going to call them again I ask. She wants more attention and drugs. She says well probably soon. Why I ask.She is talking like she is planning a vacation. She says well I get better drugs in the hospital. What kind mother because when I see your papers there isnt anything different except the steroids. So you mean to tell me you are going to fake another breathing episode and call the ambulance just to get steroids that the doc can probably give you. I guess so she says.The doc doesnt want me to take them. I know I say! I told her she is absolutely NUTS and left. So that was yesterday. Today is another day. Any words for me??
I personally agree with your mom!
You r already stressing and they r not even their at YOUR house. You know already that you will be responsible for any co-signing n you n your mom cannot afford to lose your own home just because they seem to not have growed up. You are already answering your question but you are allowing your heart to take the toll. You r strong n need to let them know that, you love them however, they need to take care of their own mess that your plate is full.
I know its got to be hard being it is your child but your child is grown n has her own family now n they need to take responsibility for themselves. They should already know what n where they can go for help in their little town n churches. You have enough already on your hands. Listen to your mom....
I hope you n your family have a blessed Thanksgiving.
The Counseling idea sounds really good n u probable can get if from a church n meet other people who might be able to help you n your situation with your mom. It sad to hear that she won't help herself n the drug part with the freaking doctors. My mnl use to be on something n the pharmacist kept refilling n the freaking physician had passed away yrs ago! It can also be the pharmacist too trying to make a buck or two. Finally, she ended up n the hospital n her new physician n us turned in that pharmacy! He no longer works their anymore. They were able to change her old nerve pill to another that was less addictive until he got her off completely. I do hope u find some answers n yell, kick, scream n vent all u must to help keep your sanity.
I hope everyone here has a blessed holiday. Gobble, gobble. ; )
As for your mom; you've got to get some free counseling for yourself through a church group or you yourself go to the local senior center and ask for counseling for yourself or just vent to their social worker and explore what resources are available. If nothing else, you will feel better and understand your options. They might be able to at least alleviate some of your stress and guilt over caregiving for your mother.
Next; set boundaries with your mom today and stick with it. One hour in the morning; one hour in the afternoon; whatever works for you. Make a chore list and type it up in big print for her...you agree to do some things; she agrees to do some things. Cook some meals in the peace of your own home; then portion to one per size and take them to her and tell her she can microwave. Then tell her you will have dinner with her 2 nights per week as an example; no more. You are no good if you have a breakdown or collapse from stress and exhaustion and can't help her at all.
I would say, probably nothing you can do about the pills. IT happened with my mom temporarily and I phoned the doctor and told them if they renewed the prescrip I would sue them -- they were renewing without re-examining her and she is 89 and living alone. It stopped and she ran out and that was that. She asked another dr for the drugs (pain pills) but I had already sent him a letter telling him she was not to have any without being coupled with physical therapy (so she would at least get out of the house and do something to alleviate the pain vs drugs); he complied as they didn't want a lawsuit. BTW, neither dr suggested PT because its easier to just push pills and they are done with it -- we caregivers are left with dealing with it.
Please call your local Senior Center , they may have a program set up with volunteers to make home visits.
Please talk to the Senior director there.
Our area Senior clubs do have this program & if yours doesn't they may consider one if you mention it.
Best wishes.