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Anksana Asked April 2013

How do you tell your bossy, needy, controlling mother you can't stand her?

Oh my, I have worked a full time week and today I must make a journey to do my mothers grocery shopping and a ton more of her errands. I'll be driving for over 4 hours return trip depending on traffic. I made the mistake of telling her I would stay over tonight and we could just hang out. Me and my big mouth after to much wine. This morning I could kick myself because I had to tell her that I will not be staying over. So the guilt trip accompanies my phone call. I can't bear another night of her full on negativity and all about how things are SO bad for her and my husband hasn't had time from his job to built her a ramp to get her up and down in a wheel chair. Did I mention she weighs 200 lbs. of dead weight? She is also angry at me because I have NOT got her to a eye doctor because I can't get her out of the house without a ramp or motorized wheel chair. She turned down a free one that was hardly used. Now I am also expected to some how find a way to get her to the hospital to see my dad so she can ream him out for not wanting to co-operate with the hospital staff. Right now, I just want to stick my head in a gas oven and inhale the fumes.
Anksana

Candy814 Apr 2013
Yes, I agree with some of the above. There are Senior (SCAT) vans and Senior Day Care to occupy her time. Write down the days and hours you will be there and post in her kitchen.

Labs4me Apr 2013
In your situation, I would contact Adult Protective Services and let them come in and assess her situation. With states giving more rights to the elderly and expecting the adult children to take responsibility for those rights you need to protect yourself from any form of alleged neglect or abuse. It is a sad and unfortunate reality for adult children who are caregivers to narcisstic elderly parents.

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JessieBelle Apr 2013
anksana, I had this problem with my father, so I know how you feel. My parents have two of the motorized chairs, but their front porch stoop is too low for the ramp and my car is too small to support a lift. I bought him a manual chair that helped a lot, but still it was a major hassle when I took him anywhere. He was dead weight, too -- mainly a psychological thing with him.

Your husband may not have to build a ramp. If your mother has to have a wheel chair, her doctor may be able to do a prescription for a ramp that should be covered by Medicare... Part B, I believe. My mother has a steel ramp that works for most steps and also trucks if needed. She got this ramp when she got her motorized wheelchair. She didn't pay for hers.

I can be hard spending too much time with our parents. I spend an hour or two during the evening with my mother, but we never have anything to talk about. I'm also concerned that what I say will lead to her fussing. She takes the opposite view as I do on things I say, often even switching her position to make sure it is opposite of mine. :) I think many older people do this. Maybe a little debate makes them feel more in touch.

One word about the oven -- That is an old myth. Methane isn't poisonous to breathe, so sticking our head in the oven isn't lethal unless the oven is lit and we bake ourselves. Head in gas oven would be lethal if someone came in and sparked the gas, but then the whole house might blow. So, no point in putting your head in the oven. You might as well just live on. The only advice I would have is to be as nice to yourself as you are to others.

karenp Apr 2013
You need help. You are overwhelmed, and understandably so. If your mother does not have dementia, you could try explaining to her that you can run, say two errands per week and that's it. Do whatever you are comfortable with. Or, if you run the errands together, you can say you are available from 2-4pm and no longer, so she can prioritize her own errands and do what is most important. You could also see if there is a senior bus that can take her to the errands. The ones where I live in VA are wheelchair accessible and charge $3 one way per stop.

If she does have dementia (my mom does), reasoning won't work. Then you can tell her the same as above, your own availability, and then stick to that. This way, you have at least told her, thought she won't remember.

You could also contact the council on aging and they might be able to offer further suggestions.
Good luck

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