I am tired, even when I'm when wide awake. It's the kind of tired that seeps into your bones. I am not in physical pain but I feel like everywhere I turn, I am disappointing someone. My mother lives with me and is somewhat independent but not very. I feel like her personality is changing and she doesn't see it. She is in a lot of physical pain, diabetic, arthritic, and early stage dementia. I feel like she is extremely critical and constantly focusing on things I 'do wrong' or could do better but doesn't see any of her own issues. If I bring them up, she says blames her physical problems. I get that she is in pain and it's hard to know that you may be losing your control of your mind. I do not think she gets the responsibility she places on my shoulders every single day.
She can walk extremely short distances and occasionally does dishes, a light cooking of a meal, or folds laundry, everything else I do. I schedule her doctor appts and make she sure gets to them, I drop her off at the door of the clinic and push her in a wheelchair all the hospital, I do the majority of the talking to her doctors, I park her at the door of the clinic and go get the car. I carry her purse when she walks in and out of the house to the car, I back into the driveway so that she can get out on her side. I go to the store and get all the food, I make sure she takes her insulin, I pull her pants up after she goes bathroom because she can't reach behind her. I do all the laundry, I carry everything, I make sure her meds are filled and picked up. I make numerous phone calls on her behalf every week. I do all the shopping. I make sure all the bills are paid.
I listen to her cry when she is in pain. I listen to the same stories over and over and over til I can repeat them by heart. When she is searching for a word to say, I help her figure out what it is. I answer the same questions over and over. I remind her where she is, who is with her and what is actually going on. I calm her down if she has a bad dream. I make sure she wears her seatbelt in the car and I make sure the doors are locked because she occasionally tries to open the door when driving, I watch where she puts her hands in the car because she will occasionally grab the gear shift and yank it, I make sure she turns the car light off when she gets out because she always turns it on and forgets to shut off and it will wear down the battery.
I try to be sensitive to her feelings and not make her feel guilty or that she is limited or that I don't trust her. I try not to burden her and handle things myself. I listen to her talk for hours when I just want some silence. I am sitting here crying silently because she is asleep on the couch and I don't want her to wake and ask why I'm crying. I feel like i am watching someone I love die slowly and I feel guilty because I just want some peace.
I feel like all I do is listen to her talk about her feelings and I have to stuff mine in. If I ever complain about her she will say something like 'well maybe I'll be dead soon and you won't have to deal with it anymore'. I told her I thought she needed a friend or some other than me to talk to occasionally, one of her sisters or someone who is also old and in pain or dealing with the same health problems. Someone to complain about me to or just share with, I feel like she is lonely and putting all of her needs on me. Even all her conversation needs!
There is a tone of implied criticism in many things she says, maybe she doesn't mean it to come out that way but it does. Like yesterday, I was worried about something and it was like she was angry that I'd be worried and she wished I knew 'my rights' and didn't get upset. It was like she was implying it was a failing on my part to be worried, even though I have been through similar things before. Then there is the outright criticism of all the things I don't do or how I don't understand what her life is like. I know almost every facet of this person's life, I can almost tell you what she is going to say before she says it.
I do zone out when she's talking, I completely admit that. I do put off some things or not fill her in all my plans. I do this because she won't remember them or get them mixed anyways. It's a complete waste of time to give her more than small bits of information or to inform her of more than the next day's activities. I don't do everything she asks the minute she asks for it, because I have my own sh!t to do too.
She's so negative, and seems to look for the 'bad' thing to always happen or all bad possible consequences. It's frustrating and exhausting to listen too. I don't think I can express frustration because it's 'not fair' that she is the way she is. I just have to accept and work around it because there is no other option. Right?
How did this come about? Did you move her into your home? With what understanding? Are you being paid room and board and something for your caregiving? How much respite do you get each week?
What activities does your mom go to? Senior Ceenter, exercise class? How is her pain being managed? Have you looked into Assisted Living? I ask that because she sounds bored.
You sound very worn out. Have you been to your doctor recently? Talked about the strain that you're under?
It's good to vent, and this is a good safe place to do it. If it helps, great! But sometimes, you also need to know that there are steps that can be taken to better a bad situation.
So....how to cope? It's easy to say "put mom in assisted living" - but not easy to even consider - unless Mom's physical & mental issues need full-time professional care. But I think your Mom probably needs some distraction to give you some distance & quiet. Can you find out if any of the local agencies on aging have a "buddy" program? Folks who come visit the elderly once a week for an hour or two. Will Mom go out to a Senior Center for lunch or to take a writing class on occasion? Does Mom like movies - I find that streaming an on-demand movie from my cable TV or a Netflix movie ($8 per month) will give me about 2 hours to drink a cup of coffee and read a magazine in peace. Does Mom like to be outside? Spring is coming - maybe sitting on the porch soaking up some sun while you plant petunias in the yard will give you a peaceful afternoon (and make mama sleepy).
I can't offer you much in magic solutions - I struggle with this myself. But I can identify with you and tell you that you're doing the right thing, even though it's the hardest thing you'll ever do. Be proud of yourself & be sure to be kind to yourself.
At this stage the waits for nursing homes are too long and hospice is the only choice so it will get worse. I just try to hope that someday it will get better.
There ought to be better solutions for end of life but doesn't seem to be in our society.
Take care.
I cannot say enough good things about such programs.
Even if you're right, it's true that she is deteriorating, and you may realize it before she does. I've found that it is exhaustion that taught me how to set my boundaries and limits, for I also felt that it matters that love is included in my effort to care. If genuine love or respect is lost because I'm tired, afraid or resentful, it is in the interests of the whole relationship, which does not heal, I believe, unless love is there - but love is not just a lovely feeling of accommodating someone else all the time - it's only the result of making a decision at SOME times to accommodate and try, and otherwise to separate.
I'd suggest, that if you find yourself zoning out as she talks, try to end the talks then, rather than pretend and resent. Tell her, "sorry, I'd like to understand but I can't follow right now, I'm tired or thinking of something else. I'll leave for a while, see you in a couple of hours.
Take time to experiment with what time do you want and need, instead of focusing on how she should behave, or imagining how you should. Yes, she should behave more nicely, but if you managed the contact explicitly, made a minute or two to listen - but stopped her when she began to elaborate on negatives or give too many requests or complaints in a row - I used to tell the old lady, that I'm glad to be there and care about her and am trying to help as best I can, and it's also not my job to listen her criticize me, so I'll leave now, and come and check on her later (and take a break. Sometimes even 10 min apart was enough for her to collect herself and be nicer. then do one or two more tasks, and plan breaks, and enough days for yourself also.) Focusing on creating positive additions to the home, rather than on interpreting what's wrong, can maybe help - and if LOTS more break time is needs, start making lists of locations, people to talk with, about getting that!
So much of what we can do easily depends on if they realize something is wrong with them or not. If they do not accept that they have problems with their thinking, then all the things that go wrong are someone else's fault. If they can't figure out the coffee, then someone bought the wrong pot. If they can't find something, then someone took it. Basically, if something bad is happening, it is someone else's fault. If the only person there is the caregiving child, then everything is their fault. Staying with someone who does not accept the dementia is more difficult than most people can imagine. It also makes the caregiving child start feeling like they are a really bad person.
The easy solution would be to place the parent or to go on long respite. But there the problem of them not admitting a problem comes in again. Nothing is wrong with them and they can take care of themselves. So if the caregiving child wants to go on vacation, then they can go. And NO, the parent won't go for respite care and won't let someone come in. In their mind they can take care of themselves just fine. And NO, they don't want to go to AL, since they want to die in their homes and can take care of themselves just fine.
There was a thread on AC about people who don't know (or accept) something is wrong with them. I can't remember the name of the condition. In my mother's case she will sometimes say that her memory isn't any good anymore, but she won't blame that if she loses something or forgets how to do something. I hear many snide remarks and live with criticism. It is very disheartening. I know it would be easier if I could just say that it was the dementia causing the problem, but to her she doesn't have dementia. Any hint that something is wrong with her starts WWIII.
I wish I had an easy answer. I get out almost every day to go for a long walk or to the gym. My mother doesn't want to go anywhere, so I leave for a while when I can. I am glad that I can do that. I do wish she would go to AL. I do wish my brothers would come get her sometimes. I do wish she were nicer. But it is what it is and I just do what I can. I don't know how much longer I'll be able to do it, because I am so beaten down. Then I'll have to make decisions for myself and let someone else handle the things here. There's no telling how much longer it will be -- tomorrow or 10 years.
It would all be so easy if they were pleasant.
This is the situation many caregivers find themselves in, however it can get better. You can have a better more relaxed life with your mother by changing a few simple things. It sounds to me like a good self-care program is just what you need. Many caregivers by nature get into this rut because they are very caring people.
Good self-care is the backbone of caregiving for people. This is true of family, professional caregivers, clergy and in many instances medical professionals. So how do we fix it and how can we have a life that is not only good for us but good for the patient as well.
1. Self-care is the cornerstone of this business.
Good self-care is not a luxury when caring for a loved one. Self-care is necessary to help caregivers be available both physically and emotionally. Begin with setting aside time for you. I suggest 30 minutes in the morning and in the again in the evening. For this time you will need to determine the activities that are relaxing for you (reading, watching TV, a loved hobby and so forth). Once the activity is in place ask another family member or friend to be there for your Mom. They can take her out or stay with her. The idea is that you do not need to think about her care for the time you have set aside. I would not suggest you take a nap as if you have clinically depression "napping" can create another problem of it's own. I would suggest going for a walk get fresh air and exercise at your pace will help you more than taking a nap as by doing this or other outside activities will help you getting a good night's sleep. You will find, as this becomes a constant in your life, you sleep better and wake more refreshed.
2. Look for friends and neighbors that can help.
Many people would love to help (I am sure). They simply do not know what to do or when to do it. Ask them to help by staying with Mom while you shop or go to your appointments. Begin now setting up a 'help list'. Many a times a list is great for idea stimulus just jot down some things you would enjoy. Simply make a list of what you need help with and have a good location to post the list ask so people can look at the list for something they can help with. Examples would be picking up five or six things from the grocery store or empty the cat litter something that will only cost some time.
3. County or local assistance.
Look to your county assistance office (Senior Information and Assistance) and ask them for volunteer Respite Care. There is frequently an organization that will provide Respite for a few days so you can get some rest. Many organizations offer Adult Day Health and it may or may not be free, rather on a sliding scale. Please have your time planned for the Respite and again not staying at home or in bed.
Most important is to do something which is totally different than what you do daily for your Mom. Do not spend this time cleaning the house or sleeping. You do need and deserve a break. So take one, this may seem like more work however it is truly not.
Take care of yourself as you are the person that will need to be there for the declining years And please know you are not alone and if possible join a support group for caregivers (you can find through your Mom's doctor office or churches or county agencies).
Above all you are the best service your Mom has.
I feel for all of you know how this goes. It really helped me to know that there are others feeling as I do. I got some really good views from posting on this site. I thank all of you for that. Hang in there, hopefully there is a light at the end of the tunnel.
Still, I try to make some time for myself, take walks, watch escapist TV shows that I like. I'm still tired most of the time but am starting to see a glimmer of hope. I hope you will too. What I'm trying to do is simply accept the idea that I've changed forever and am trying to see where that takes me.
Talk with your mom, ask her to help you, let her know how much you need her help, it may just be what she and you both need. Take a walk if you can leave her alone or better yet take her with you.
I can tell you are tired, but you're a loving daughter who needs some rest and a good laugh. I wish you the best. Take care