My dad says he needs to go to his house (that's up for sale) for important paperwork...every day! How do I answer him?

You just tell him NO it is not possible to take him. If he wants to get there on his own that is his business. My father keeps asking to be taken out for a cup of coffee at his old coffee shop. That would be a 90 minute drive one way for us. No one can afford to take a day off so he can get a cup of coffee!

Justducky, I can relate to that somewhat and here my parents house was right down the street. My Dad claimed he needed paperwork to do income taxes, the paperwork was in the attic in the garage. Well, to get up into that hole in the high ceiling, I would have needed to set up a very long metal extension ladder [no pull down stairs].

Yeah right, I was a senior myself, the ladder probably weighed more than I did, and having a fear of heights, I kept saying no. Dad kept insisting. I kept insisting not. Told Dad for safety reasons he needed to hire a handyman to go up there.

After Dad moved to senior living, I hired a handyman to see what was up in that garage attic. No paperwork, just empty boxes in case Dad wanted to send back an item that needed repair. Really now, keeping a box for a Hamilton Beach can opener he and Mom bought 40 years ago?

This just proves that our parents still see us as the "kids" and that we can do anything. I had a hard time convincing my parents I was a senior, even tried waving my AARP membership card and Medicare card to no end.... [sigh]

My mom (diagnosed with dementia & depression) also calls me to tell me that I need to mail her the key to her house because she needs to pick up a few things that she needs at assisted living (she's only been there for three weeks). One day it was nail clippers, the next day it was a jacket, etc. I made sure when I was setting her room up that she pretty much has everything she needs to survive. She also has money at AL to go have fun and shop for some other things that she may need so I told her that. Her AL facility is only 1.5 miles from her home and I just got off the phone w/ her and she said she's ready to walk to her house. Luckily, her AL facility is secure and she doesn't have the code to exit! Her friend did drive her past her house and she got out of the car and talked to a neighbor, that was troublesome for me. I have her house keys so she can't get in the home but I know if I or somebody else would let her back in, she would not leave! Adult Protective Services advised me to not let her back in the home because I'll never get her out. I'm going to adhere to that advice! I sway my mom "away" from her home telling her that she's safer in AL and I remind her that she doesn't have any chores such as cleaning, cooking, paying bills, laundry or worries on medication mix-up. This ordeal sure is tough, especially when my mom has lived in her home w/ precious memories for over 45 years. I am an only child and now I have to clean out the house, get rid of furniture and sell it. This is a super tough one to wrap my head around, such emotional distress! As if we haven't been through enough already!