Dad is 80 and Mom is 85. She was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s about 6 months ago, she is in need of a hip replacement, but won’t undergo surgery because she’s too afraid with her diagnosis of Pulmonary Fibrosis from a year ago. She is on oxygen 24/7. She is in “excruciating pain” daily and therefore doesn’t move from her chair, except to use the bathroom and return to bed a few times during the day. Also, she is going blind quickly, with her recent diagnosis of Macular Degeneration and a stroke in one eye, too. Sometimes she remembers her medication, sometimes not. My Dad says “I told her to take it and she must have forgot!” “She won’t listen to me.” He is not attentive to her completely. He is also forgetful, a severe diabetic, and dealing with a not-so-successful knee replacement from a year ago. He keeps his head above water, just enough to care for himself, for the most part. How do my siblings and I help my Mom without insulting my Dad, his care is not sufficient. I feel like my hands are tied and it’s horrible to just sit back and watch this unfold. Yes some of us visit them while in Florida, but that doesn’t help for their daily needs.
Is there family near? You need boots on the ground soon.
My parents were just fine too. Mom bleeding all over from a fall and Dad driving around trying to find the hospital mom was taken to.
Once I got mom placed assisted living, I took Dad over to have lunch with her. He’s living there with her now “Until mom gets better”.
They are not leaving. It was tough and we’ll have some bumps but it’s was past time.
You’re there now with your guys I think.
It also puts the elders on someone else's radar. And it make you feel like you're doing something.
Believe me, that last is NOT to be ignored. I think otherwise, the guilt when the big "something" happens is kind of overwhelming.
Aunt falls one day, can't bear weight. Uncle drags her around the house for 3 days on a throw rug ( I never asked about the bathroom aspect of this, didn't want to know). Cousin shows up with groceries and aunt says (from the throw rug) "every thing is fine. No don't call anyone, we're just fine". 911 is called. Uncle attacks EMS workers who removed aunt.
Aunt has hip surgery, rehabs well for 3 months. INSISTS on returning home to her husband.
24/7 caregivers were brought in at this point (Aunt and Uncle were seriously rich, thank G-d,) and although uncle fired the caregivers every other day, they knew to stay, I think they hid out in the carport until he was calm.
You can't make this stuff up. Interestingly, my aunt passed first of her heart issues; uncle lived in memory care and then a VA nursing home for about a year after she died. Happy as a clam, once they got him on the right meds.
Please don't feel bad that you can't fix this problem. I apparently had one of the very few cooperative demented elderly moms for which I will be ever grateful.
If they won't listen - call the "authorities" to check on them as they cannot live that way.
Better to be embarrassed asking for assistance than to later deal with charges of neglect.
And yes, I am sorry to hear about your situation. It's very sad how so many truly elderly are barely surviving.
You can also tell him that if something were to happen, YOU could be liable for neglect and go to jail (a bit of a while lie, but I use it with mom all the time).
It sounds like this is also the time to have the tough talk about paperwork, is there someone that has medical and financial POA assigned, living will, pre-need guardianship, last will, and the person named to take care of their remains?
Good luck, wishing you strength to make those tough decisions and have those hard conversations.
They need more help than they realize - I'll bet they are doing minimum in cleaning - how often do they change sheets?, kitchen & bathroom towels?, clean out fridge? - if you can go through fridge & find expired, dried up or moldy items then they are in danger of food poisoning - this is especially true of those frugal people who will scrape off mold then eat what is left -
Does any of this sound familiar? - many of us have had these issues - so what if your dad is unhappy with the intervention - try for a united sibling front as that will show how worried you are then they can't undo all by getting another family member to be on their 'side' - there are no sides in this but keeping your mom & dad safe & as well as can be expected -
Try to get them to be near as many of the siblings as possible so that they have regular visitors when they get into AL - as they get older there will be more issues to solve -
Make sure their paperwork is in order while you're at it even if you state that you looked at your own wills & found them really out of date so are updating now & discount if mom & dad do it too [everyone loves a bargain]