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I agree with Alva; find a therapist (social worker would be my preference as well) and get support for standing firm on no longer being the victim.
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UnKraut68 Mar 2022
I'd love to get therapy and tried already last autumn but the waiting lists over here are long, especially since Covid. Applied as well for rehabilitation to cure my burnout and hope to get in soon.
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Omg, I am in a very similar situation! I don't have any suggestions (yet) since I am going through something similar. The guilt I think from this is what will finally break me. I am the primary breadwinner in my family and I am cracking under the pressure of my father who keeps calling me to 'place' him somewhere and then changes his mind. His wife (my stepmother, married after I was an adult) tells me she is done as well so that is different in my situation, but puts added pressure on me to place him. But they have done this before, I've had places set up and then they change their mind. Childish! Selfish! My dad has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's but I don't see it. He knows exactly who I am and what he's doing - the same thing he's been doing since I was born. My brother (unmarried, no kids, was 'supposed' to deal with this) moved out of state and has checked out as well but calls me to give me 'pep talks' about dealing with this myself.

This is a nightmare and while I haven't actually gone through with getting him placed anywhere (I can't get any call backs from nursing homes - he is too far gone physically for AL). I got a bad result on a mammogram yesterday, and I know it's probably nothing but the urgent calls I got on Sunday to 'place' him again might get ignored, so I can focus on myself. I was on vacation last week and have to work this week. Funny thing is they conferenced me in on a conference call with a social worker when I was on vacation and I told them he needed to be placed and they said they were fine. So much can change between a Wednesday and a Sunday for them and I'm tired of it. I know I'm rambling but I'm so relieved I am not alone in these feelings. Please message me if you feel it would be helpful!
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UnKraut68 Mar 2022
Wow, we seem to share at least partly the same nightmare! And I don't know the situation in your country, but AL and NH places are very hard to find in Germany (though less expensive than in the US).

But why can't your fathers new wife do the groundwork to find a place for him if she can't handle him anymore? Next time let her do the job, then she might understand the effort better and thinks about it hard enough instead of letting you do all the work while she and Dad feel free to change their minds again.

Wishing you the best for your mammogram - waiting for a result is always a stressful time!
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Do not return to the system.
Go to a trained licensed Social Worker trained in life transitions for support.
Change your G-word. You are not in fact a felon who gets joy from being evil. You are a caring child who has done what you can given your human limitations. What you are feeling now is the OTHER G-word which is GRIEF. Grief that you have no way to make this right. That you did it and now everyone expects you to KEEP on doing this no matter the cost to you, no matter the hopelessness.
Turn off the phone. Give Mom and Dad the number for 9 1 1. Check in once a week. Let the family pick up the slack as they choose. They will be sympathetic soon enough.
As well as the G-word being changed to grief, I suggest you add a V word, and the victim is you. As you said, your father is not demented. I am certain he is uncertain and terrified and overwhelmed, but his actions will drive help away from him, and that is someplace he will have to go on the learned-behavior spectrum.
So sorry. This will hurt you. Not everything can be fixed. You will grieve and I am certain your parents are doing the same. But staying in this swirl of rancid stew is not going to help a thing.
At the least, tell siblings you are now taking a month's break to figure out where you stand finally. Do not resume the POA.
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UnKraut68 Mar 2022
Thank you, that was valuable advice. And though I've heard the "guilt vs grief" rule before I notoriously keep forgetting that I have NO REASON to feel guilty about and that I'm not a felon. I bet my parents feel a lot less guilt than I do (which is so twisted!!!).

Hard to internalize this, but I keep trying. And one day it will sink in for good.
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Hold the line…every time you start to allow the guilt of it, reread what you wrote , I wish you strength…
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UnKraut68 Mar 2022
Yes, it is good to read it again and again. Actually all the reading here is of incredible value to me.
So many smart and insightful people - life saving stuff!
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