I have been a full-time caregiver for my parents for less than a week and I already feel overwhelmed.

*Investigate*

As hokey and old-fashioned as it sounds, a daily and weekly routine will make your new :job" easier. Routines free up your mind from makeing endless decisions, which sap your energy and your brain's capacity. When one's brain is tired, then people make poorer decision. Two simple ones. Get up at the same time everyday of the week. Same goes for your father. Have a rotating two week menu. This makes shopping easier. It also frees you from the decision of "what should we have for dinner."
Good luck

Dear Werdnord, So glad you posed your Q as there is so much good advice in the responses. Sooo much truth from Martinamarie and everyone. Truer words were never spoken than caringson12 "Expect little appreciation from uninvolved relatives". But they will "should" all over you with unhelpful suggestions of what YOU should do. My favorite of the ridiculous is "why don't you just start going over there just one day a week?" I love that we're all here for each other and hope you'll update.

I admire your intentions.

One things doesn't make sense to me. You want to spend four weeks with your parents, then two weeks away form them? I don't think anyone here would believe that possible without serious back-up or assistance.

Whatever you are doing every day during the four weeks, will need to be done every day for the two weeks. Right?

How are you planning to manage that?

if you like to read, join a book club
find a meditation or Yoga center
find a support group for care givers
whatever your interests are - there could be a group that meets, that you could go to
look in the classes available in your area, painting, pottery, I like to make jewelry w beads, and have sought out others with same interests - but you have to make the first step. If the house does not sell- you could either rent it out or lower the price.

I agree, find a good caregiver ASAP, don't make my mistake, caregiving for 7 months without a 24 hour break. I found that, in order to recharge, I really needed to have a 24 hour period every week, where I could recharge. Taking care of someone in debilitating pain is heart breaking; the witch hunt on pain patients has devastated my whole family, and left my loved one in agony and suicidal. Hospice will not help w the pain meds adequately! but they are good for sending in a CNA for bathing dressing each morning. If you and your husband switch off to give the other a regularly scheduled 24 hours off period, you might be able to avoid burnout.

WerdNord: While stress, in and of itself, cannot be classified as a "disease," it can most definitely manifest itself into one! Here a few tips to help you get through the extremely challenging and complex days ahead---
#1 Eat clean foods
#2 Take a multi-vitamin with vitamin D and for your age group
#3 Stay mobile
#4 Make "you" time, even if it's an hour of pampering at the nail salon
#5 If you need to, go to a private place and "let it all out," e.g. cry/scream-whatever gets you through the day/night (Rolling Stones)-had to throw that in there for a chuckle, but not meant to take you down the road of pill popping!
#6 Join a support group- check-you've already accomplished that one!
#7 If you are a spiritual person, get into your bible. If you aren't, perhaps now would be a good time to start.
#8 Talk to friends

Hospice is the best option for you, they take care of almost everything. A nurse will guide you in your mothers care, they'll deliver the supplies she needs to the house, they'll help you get medical equipment in the home your mother needs. For yourself, keep a caregivers schedule, laundry time, housework time, etc... Possibly someone could be hired to come in and sit with mom for a few hours now and then so you and even your dad can get out, have lunch, etc... Hugs to you for taking care of your parents.

I cared for my mom for five years in my home. I can say that the one phrase that I often told myself was, "slow down." Mom had dementia with Lewy Bodies and took no medicine, so I had to be particularly aware of her moods, her up and down physical abilities (better in the afternoon, worse at night), as well as her eating habits. I learned that I needed to take my time doing everything: transferring her to/from chairs, walking down the stairs myself (I used to run), and I learned that there were a few standards that I had to relax in order to remain sane and healthy myself. For example, I let her sleep in her sweat clothes (then washed and dressed her the next morning), I didn't bathe her every day, I didn't worry so much about keeping her busy all the time - often she just liked to watch me, then later would say to the kids that "we" did the laundry, made chicken parm for them, etc. When she wanted to sleep, I'd let her... I didn't make her stick to a schedule all the time, though we did most days. Sometimes I gave her a boiled egg because it was an easy clean-up and I had things to do. Sometimes I'd tell her I needed a nap, and she graciously shooed me off. Because I was able to see the transition of my mother's dementia without any meds clouding the issue, I found that she really did have a grip on things when she needed to. Yes, sometimes she called me Mama and all that, but at the heart of things, she didn't want to be a burden and recognized that I was giving up a lot to be with her. It was a blessing to be able to spend the time caring for her; I would not have wanted it any other way. She died in my arms without pain, with grace and in peace. Don't put unrealistic expectations on yourself. If you need to, get someone to help clean, get your groceries delivered, help with the practical matters and with caring for your parents or just keeping them company. Take time to just think. You don't have to do it all today. And yes, one day, they will be gone, but they will be more truly a part of you at that point than you can even imagine.