Glad to have found this forum. I currently have a situation where my disabled, chronically ill mother (67) is declining into dementia or Alzheimer’s (though doctor’s have not formally said this yet—I see it coming). She took a fall in her apt and after 8 days in the hospital, she was taken to an SNF for therapy for being fall risk and the doc not wanting to send her home on her own. She only gives one word responses but can still read and eat, walk on her own sometimes. She is incontinent sometimes and wears adult diapers. I ultimately will NOT want guardianship over her once and if she is deemed unable to make her own decisions. She has Medicare and Medicaid. The doctors did mention she may have to go to assisted living. I also found out 6 months ago (and noticed her declining cognition) she was abusing her pain medication (oxy based) and she was not going to doc appts. She seemed to give up taking care of herself and if I suggested anything she told me to “mind my own business”.
Our backstory is I was extremely parentified by my mother who was an alcoholic and has had Dysfunctional issues all my life. She no longer drinks, but has abused drugs in the past. She also enables a sibling who abuses drugs and they are both triangulated in drama constantly with their older sibling.
I was ultimately raised by other family members who were functional and I left my hometown and made a life for myself in the military. I came back to my hometown eventually, but 10 years ago I TOTALLY cut ties and set boundaries with my Dysfunctional family of origin, including my mother who, despite my continued efforts to assist her in constructive ways, continued to be in triangulation, enmeshment and dysfunctional family trauma and generally make bad decisions.
I, at age 51, have no available resources or willingness as her only child (daughter) to be her guardian or burden/expose my own family with her issues and at present I have NO POAs etc. Before she fell ill, I was planning on relocating with my family for new opportunity and still plan on doing so. Has anyone ever just let the social workers in the SNF take over and have a parent become a ward of the state? After decades of trying to help my mother I am resentful and burnt out emotionally and mentally. I have nothing left to give her except to let the state take care of her and get her the help she needs.
Thanks in advance for any responses.
I can't add any more of my support other than, hmmm, I now see your profile name as "GoNPeace".
my mother is in an independent living apartment. We are about to move her to AL. She has begun showing signs of dementia. I am here, overseeing her care, paying her bills, and helping. In the last few years, I have come to terms with how I was raised and realized that none of us are perfect parents. I cannot say I have forgiven her. But I love her and want to do this for her.
I tried to steer my parents to senior centers and agencies for help before going no contact. They shrugged it off until their attempts to force me to solve their problems didn't work (I have very strong boundaries). Left to their own devices, they learned on their own to be adults and seek help on their own.
We are not being selfish but looking after our wellbeing. Toxic family are not allowed in my home and life. They are too disruptive. I am done after years of being a "good daughter" while being attacked/blamed and shamed nonstop by two narcissistic people who cannot and will not respect or love me. They made their bed and will have to lie in it.
Good luck and don't beat yourself up over this. Its not our fault they were such terrible parents. It's up to them to deal with the repercussions now. They will cling to other potential victims and get what they want.
Luckily, my son readily forgave me, I’m starting up my own business, and I’ve started to get my life back on track. I would not recommend this course for anyone with an abusive and neglectful childhood in his/her past.
I really didn’t have much support; just a string of unreliable boyfriends; no amount of money was worth it, in retrospect. My mother looked the other way when my stepdad was molesting me, and never apologized. She was narcissistic, jealous of my accomplishments, and we never had a solid loving relationship when I was growing up; It wasn’t a solid enough relationship for me to have stepped in and have my life ransacked. You’re making the right choice. Don’t feel a need to over-explain your situation to strangers; they won’t understand or be able to make you feel better about your path. Please update us and let us know how you are doing. My heart goes out to you. I understand.
Everything from this point forward should be driven by her team, from which you respectfully excuse yourself.
i am going through a very similar situation, except I made the GRAVE error of letting her live in my home. I cannot tell you how much I’ve regretted that.
So now, MY family, me, as I had to quit work to take care of her around the clock, are shouldering her responsibilities.
We go through life carrying so much grief and guilt, this isn’t your load to carry.
I made that choice 15 years ago related to my own mother. I have no contact. I plan no further contact for any reason. I have no care for the disposition of any property or even a funeral. She will have made a plan and others can carry those out. I just do not care anymore...enough hurts and traumas... I lost my childhood and family long ago...and my attempts to repair the relationship as an adult failed.
I now like my life away from my family of origin and have cut all ties forever. God is big enough to watch over that, and I surrendered that to Him years ago. I cannot love her enough to help. But God can.
I would not tell anyone anything that you don't feel comfortable telling. No, I am not going to be her guardian is all you need to say. Nobody needs the back story. It's just ammo for them to try and guilt you with. You don't owe anyone any explanations. NO, is a complete sentence.
I was torn with responsibility and not my responsibility but I knew I made the correct choice for all concerned.
I know he ended up in different nursing homes and one of my cousins looked after him. Her heart was bigger than mine but she chose to check on him. When he passed away I did handle his cremation. I chose the most economical process and the least involved.
Folks do not understand what “we” experience and will never understand. Blessings for them. However, i did accept responsibility to cremate him as I knew it was not my cousins responsibility.
I advise you pray and know in your heart this is your best choice. Then be positive and assure them you do not accept care of your mother. There were papers to sign and that was to protect the hospital and show that they had contacted me.
Hope this helps you.
Don’t let anyone bully you or convince you differently after you have made your decision. They don’t understand and will try to tell you to forget the past, that it’s your duty as a child, that you should forgive and more. My cousin grew up like I did - her dad was my dad’s brother. She understood my choice. Wish you well going forward.
My father had his second wife--she had her own business and took care of him to the end. He was estranged from everyone else and even gossiped about her whenever she was out of earshot. My mother is 92, frail and half blind but strong as a horse and will probably live to be 107. She has plenty of money and lots of people around her but they all use her, which she encourages so she can control them.
Both of my parents have/had personality disorders and were abusive and impossible; I knew instinctively when I was three years old that something was wrong with both of them. I've also completely given up on my mother so she'll have to find her own way through to the end. I tried for so long and wasted so much time and money on both of them that any "guilt" or hope is gone.
So I did walk away--twice. Wish I'd done it years sooner.
You have written a lucid and rational explanation for a complex problem which has been “gifted” to you by other people who do not and CANNOT comprehend the UNIQUE experience that has determined your decision making.
May you be blessed by a renewed future without the constraints of ANYONE’S opinions BUT YOURS in regard to the degree of care in which you participate on your mother’s behalf.
Before you exit the scene, please meet with her social worker at the SNF or hospital to tell your side of the story. Make it clear you cannot give her the support she needs. AL is not cheap and not covered by Medicaid. Relocate as you planned and don't give your new address to your mom.
Judy, it seems to me that you were told that you could walk away.
You said that APS contacted you. The fact that they "know who you are" doesn't mean that you need to provide hands on care.
Tell APS that you cannot provide care for your mother. If they threaten and bluster and say "the state will take guardianship" say "yes, please"!
Hoping that you are doing well. Please post back here for support!
Joanna29, I DON'T want to call anyone, I want to wash my hands of it. Thank you for your response.
There is bound, as you and your mother continue through life, to be a certain amount of tut-tutting and head-shaking from uninformed people that this poor poor lady etc etc. With a bit of luck it won't come to your attention, but if it ever should, be comforted. You are choosing the direction which will result in your mother's needs being met without detriment to your family or yourself; and if that doesn't satisfy popular sentiment - too bad.