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Just need someone to understand how I feel,can we talk?My state doesn't provide financial, emotional, or physical help. I am depressed, lonely, broke, and lost. I've been improvising for so long.I have tried looking on line for support groups but just find blogs for complaining about the personality of the person they're caring for. I need tips on how to keep my spirits up and dealing with this by myself.

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I just Googled for Oregon, and your city, and I got the run around. I ended up back where I started. Is there a senior citizen group in your area? They usually form a group to do things together - even if it's just to play Bingo. Perhaps, the coordinator will know whom you can contact. Here on our little island, we only have 1 support group for us caregivers. It's funded by federal/local fundings. I can find it under our senior citizen programs. That's what I was trying to Google for you but...I don't think you have one for your town!

I have Googled for other sites on caregiving support. This is the Best that I found. So, here I stay.

Financial - can you try Medicaid? It's a long process, that you may be rejected several times, but if you're persistent, you might eventually be approved.

Emotional - Welcome to AC!

Physical - hmmm... any informal senior citizen program in your area? Very very difficult. Can you try calling your mother's clinic and ask if there is any program or group that they can recommend? Or call the hospital if they know of any program. I think the medical community would know this best because they deal with each other a lot.
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Hi Crystalann, you have come to the right place. There are amazing and supportive ppl on here who have been through everything and then some. I would suggest calling your mental health assoc and trying to find out if there are some support groups in your area as well. It says you are caring for your mom at home. What is her diagnosis? And is she bed ridden? Is she old enough for medicare/medicade?
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Dear Crystalann, Before long, you will see that there are an abundance of caregivers on this site dealing with the same or similar issues, and we are all ready and willing to offer each other emotional support, practical suggestions, sharing similar stories, humor, and just plain propping eachother up.

I just browsed through the Caregiver Support tab, and found many good articles on how to recognize and find help for caregiver burnout. Please check them out, as they will give you some reliable sources of help. It's a good start, and will supplement whatever we can offer you with our words of encouragement.

Beyond that, have you tried counseling with your religious mentor (priest/pastor/rabbi,etc.)? There may be ministry groups in your congregation that would be happy to help out with your Mom and give you some respite time to yourself.

It would also be helpful to us if you could give more details about the circumstances you are dealing with regarding you and your Mom, so we can give you some relevant suggestions. Feel free to vent as much as you like!
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I'm guessing from your username that you were born in 1956? You are alone with your mom, living in HER home? I am inferring that you can't work because you are a full time caregiver? You are not old enough to receive Social Security, so have no income unless you are on disability? You have already depleted anything things you may have had? Was your dad a veteran by any chance? If so, it can take awhile but you can apply for veterans benefits on behalf of your mom because of that. If you can get payment that your mom doesn't need for other support, you can 'work' for her with a personal services contract, in other words SHE would be able to pay you to take care of her. Also, until you check into the veterans thing, which may take a while, check with your county for food stamps and MediCal.
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correction... you have already depleted any SAVINGS you may have had...
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