I am recovering from a breakdown 2/6/07. I am the sole caregiver to my mother (94)and get no help from family. I have tried to get them to shave the responsibility, but that hasn't happened. Besides taking care of mother 24/7, I try to take her out for some little pleasure. I've been told that I shouldn't do that because it is stressing me further. What would you do - listen to those who say, just do the ordinary? or keep trying to give my mother a little quality of live? Hope to hear from someone!
Herbeth Howell - herhowell@aol.com
Herbeth Howell - herhowell@aol.com
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Answers
Locally we have Alliance on Aging ... caregivers who will come into your home for a few hours a day to give you a break for a small hourly fee ... Do you have an Alliance on Aging or a service like it in your area? ... Some churches have a "Mary and Martha" group ... ladies who take time to help in situations like your's ... you need a few hours to yourself every so often and groups like these can help you ... please search them out in your area ... check with Alzheimer/Geriatric physicians and your mother's physician ... someone may know of people in your area will to help you out ...
Sorry to hear you are suffering so but this is NOT an uncommon problem these days ... people are living longer and longer but our society is not yet set up to cope with the burden on these families ...
I am sorry to hear you are overwhelmed...I would definitely say that she does need some quality of life for sure, but you do as well.
Is there anyway to give you some freedom and mobility yourself?
I appreciate your love for your mother, and want and need to help her, for it is very admirable, yet you need also to find a way to have a life yourself too :)
Best,
Clyde
what you are dealing with is tough i kinda know how you feel my mom takes care of her dad and no body will help her with it she gets so upset because her brother said he was going to help but never did it is quiet a pain in the butt sounds like the rest of your family is not willing to help which sucks in the end i am sorry that you feel over whelmed