I've been taking care of mom for almost 9 years now and have pretty much lost all my friends. Is this the norm?

If you lost your friends because you taking care of your mom, then they really were not friends!

I am a caregiver for Alz patient, he has no family and neither do I. My care is 24/7. We live in a apartment building. The apartment next door was for sale a few years ago, and it was bought by one of doctors that previously treated the Alz patient. The doctor has avoided us like plague, so what does that that tell you about people, let alone friends!

Yep,i have no friends or life after 7 years with dad now. I'm stuck in a town and state that I totally can't stand,because dad has his friends here. I'm so bored with my so called life.
All I do is work to make the money needed to keep dad in this crap town he loves. I feel like it will never end.

Hugs to everyone here... Cadams... Ricky6... Jenaynay... EVERYONE!

Jenaynay, is there any version of you being able to return to your town with your dad in tow? I know a gal who works in health care, and she always says how her parents have already been warned (by her) that when the day comes that they need assisted living or nursing care, they will be transported to where SHE lives (and works); not the other way around. Of course, none of us on this thread did it that way (most likely). I, for one, dropped everything and left my life behind to care for my mother in her home. That is probably the most common version of being a caregiver.
But maybe it's not too late, and you can take him home with you, to where all your friends and contacts are located.

There may also be a support group that you could attend in your area, and you could establish some new relationships there. I guess that could work for all of us!

yes, unfortunately this happens :( a lot of times it may be they feel guilty they haven't been around. True, everyone has their own life, but it really seems people disappear. It has happened to me as well...people I felt would never betray me. And it does feel like betrayal. Esp, as you said you were there for them. One of my friends of over 35 yrs...I was there for both his mother and father and I was really shocked he dropped out of our lives and I am his adopted sons godmother. I feel like, yeah I should be there but they know wot I am going through being in medical and they saw how bad mom was. Well, what can you do. It is difficult. I guess all we can do is truly spend a bit of time writing a note or post to them saying we miss them and would they like to join you and mom for lunch. Theyll see you miss them via yer card (youve done yor part) but also see that "hey you gotta take mom and i together" ...the other side to this are those busy bodies who stay around to tell yer mom things in her ear that get back to you where it is a lot of judgements of how you are doing things or not doing things as the case may be.

i was taking care of both mom and dad. not onr family member helped me financially or emotionally. my dad passed and i am/was still takimg.care of my mom. my brst friend of 35 years went about telling me she didnt like my mom and would not come over my house if she lived with me. i said ok thats your choice. then at a wedding (my sons) she was invited. layer that night she called me and said my mom was a nasty woman. i told her to pay me back the money she borrowed from me and never call me again. i would of rather she just stay out of my life but she chose to be cruel. it is a norm i think. people are scared to get involved, even family. its a shame but i look at it as special time i got to spend with both my parents. try to persue anything you have a passion for so that you have some happiness and maybe even meet new people who really understand.