Hi there,
Just to introduce myself. I care for my elderly mum who has vascular dementia. She was diagnosed in November, although I've suspected she wasn't 'quite right' for a year or more. I think the day she thought a toy dog was real was the day it finally dawned on me that she was really unwell.
She is 86 and she is cared for daily by my brother who lives with her. He has schizophrenia so needs a lot of support himself. He must be terrified, poor love, so my daughter and I try to give them both as much support as we can.
My daughter has chronic depression and my husband and I occasionally have to look after her young children when she is ill. So the care we can give my Mum and brother is patchy, to say the least, although I try to go in every day.
My husband took early retirement recently to help me to cope as I have been under the psychiatrist myself in the past due to depression.
Tomorrow we have an assessment by Social Services. Mum has had dealings with them in the past but hates strangers in the house. She has diabetes so allows the nurse in daily, but she has so far resisted other carers outside of the family.
I'm afraid we need some respite now so I'm hoping that tomorrow she will co-operate with the social worker. I'm afraid last week she told her to go in no uncertain terms!
We can't go on like this. I would love to take a holiday with my daughter and her children but with the present set-up this is impossible. I do have a sister and brother who could possibly help but both are working and we live closest to Mum.
We're hoping that tomorrow the social worker will set up some sort of care package that my Mum will allow and that she may agree to go into respite care for a short time to give my brother and myself a rest. She always agrees that it's a good idea untill the arrival of the social worker-then all hell breaks loose!
Anyway, that's my situation. I know many of you on here have much more to deal with and my heart goes out to you.
All the very best,
Maggie
Just to introduce myself. I care for my elderly mum who has vascular dementia. She was diagnosed in November, although I've suspected she wasn't 'quite right' for a year or more. I think the day she thought a toy dog was real was the day it finally dawned on me that she was really unwell.
She is 86 and she is cared for daily by my brother who lives with her. He has schizophrenia so needs a lot of support himself. He must be terrified, poor love, so my daughter and I try to give them both as much support as we can.
My daughter has chronic depression and my husband and I occasionally have to look after her young children when she is ill. So the care we can give my Mum and brother is patchy, to say the least, although I try to go in every day.
My husband took early retirement recently to help me to cope as I have been under the psychiatrist myself in the past due to depression.
Tomorrow we have an assessment by Social Services. Mum has had dealings with them in the past but hates strangers in the house. She has diabetes so allows the nurse in daily, but she has so far resisted other carers outside of the family.
I'm afraid we need some respite now so I'm hoping that tomorrow she will co-operate with the social worker. I'm afraid last week she told her to go in no uncertain terms!
We can't go on like this. I would love to take a holiday with my daughter and her children but with the present set-up this is impossible. I do have a sister and brother who could possibly help but both are working and we live closest to Mum.
We're hoping that tomorrow the social worker will set up some sort of care package that my Mum will allow and that she may agree to go into respite care for a short time to give my brother and myself a rest. She always agrees that it's a good idea untill the arrival of the social worker-then all hell breaks loose!
Anyway, that's my situation. I know many of you on here have much more to deal with and my heart goes out to you.
All the very best,
Maggie
)
