My mum, who has combined vascular dementia/alzheimers, is 88 and has been cared for by my 92-year old dad for a number of years.
Dad has reached the end of the road and can no longer cope.
This will not be a new story to many of you, I'm sure - but Mum is in complete denial that there's anything the matter with her.
She was admitted to hospital three weeks ago and we took the decision to use the break in routine to bring about a move into a care home. Unfortunately, our home of choice has been closed temporarily due to an outbreak of Norovirus, but will open again next week. In the meantime, Mum is in a temporary assessment bed, champing at the bit to get home and kicking up merry hell.
The line is 'You've been poorly and though you're not ill enough to stay in hospital, you're not well enough to go home yet.' My feeling is that she will be dreadfully upset and furious if told the truth - that she isn't going home because Dad can no longer manage - which she will forget, in any case - but I don't know how long we can dissemble about what is happening. Sadly, I don't live close enough to them to be of much practical use in helping to bring about the only thing she wants, which is to go home.
Please, somebody, give me some hope.
Dad has reached the end of the road and can no longer cope.
This will not be a new story to many of you, I'm sure - but Mum is in complete denial that there's anything the matter with her.
She was admitted to hospital three weeks ago and we took the decision to use the break in routine to bring about a move into a care home. Unfortunately, our home of choice has been closed temporarily due to an outbreak of Norovirus, but will open again next week. In the meantime, Mum is in a temporary assessment bed, champing at the bit to get home and kicking up merry hell.
The line is 'You've been poorly and though you're not ill enough to stay in hospital, you're not well enough to go home yet.' My feeling is that she will be dreadfully upset and furious if told the truth - that she isn't going home because Dad can no longer manage - which she will forget, in any case - but I don't know how long we can dissemble about what is happening. Sadly, I don't live close enough to them to be of much practical use in helping to bring about the only thing she wants, which is to go home.
Please, somebody, give me some hope.