I'm a live-in caregiver of a 68 year of female, deceased husband, no children. She's diabetic, Congested Heart Failure, possibly Kidney failure now. 3x stroke survivor, only have use of right side of body, she is not transferring at all, therefore we are using diapers. I'm a friend of hers from years passed, I was sort of thrown into the position to care for her, she was taken out of the home where she was living with her sister and her sister's family, She was being abused very badly and she did not want to go to the nursing home, she begged my family and I to take care of her. I stepped up to the plate, only to learn that her sister, who was her POA, did not keep up with her personal business affairs, I now have a boat load of paper work to do, and because she got burned by her sister with the POA, I am not pressuring her into making me her POA, for I am no kin to her, just a friend. It is very difficult for me to obtain certain things. I am no longer working on my job I had because I've taken the responsibility of taking care of her, around the clock care. I am listed as her sole caregiver, how can be paid for this?
You also need to develop a 3-year plan, a 5-year plan, and a 10-year plan as what type of help you will need in each phase case this becomes too much for you. As we get older, Caregiving becomes more tiring and exhausting as we ourselves age, depending on your age. And what plans does your friend have in case you can no longer help her? How sad that your friend at 68 is going through that... that is so young. And how wonderful that she has a good friend like you :)