Answered a question 4/23/2010 at 11:52 am
It's a difficult decision, to say the least. I feel for you. Listen to your heart first of all, then your head. Family members had been telling me that my mother needed nursing home care for over 3
...Read MoreIt's a difficult decision, to say the least. I feel for you. Listen to your heart first of all, then your head. Family members had been telling me that my mother needed nursing home care for over 3 years before my mother finally had to enter a nursing home. I didn't listen to the family and am glad I didn't. I took care of mom, cooked, did the errands, shopping, doctors, etc. At least my mom had 3 additional years in her own home. That's important to her and her dignity. I finally knew it was time for long-term care when my mom was forgetting to eat, or only eating very little, no longer cooked for herself, left the stove on, water running overflowing the bathtub, was incontinent, was falling many times (she had a broken rib, bruised shouder, and finally a fractured vertebrae), she was not getting out of bed and wanted to sleep all the time, and basically needed help with everything and just needed to have someone with her 24/7. She could no longer be alone. Mom is now in a nursing home, is very well cared for, and is up, washed and dressed everyday. She is different than the way she used to be, but at least she is safe. Her quality of life the way she knew it is gone -- she doesn't have her independence of living in her own home, but she is safe. I keep wishing for things to be as they once were where she is her old self, but that is not to be. Good luck to you, Jro, you're in all of our prayers on this forum.