My Mum is suffering increasingly with depression. I speak to her daily on the phone and visit two or three times a week. When she is down she really is in the doldrums, she complains that she is very lonely and can't bear looking at the same four walls day in day out. She would rather be dead. She complains in such a way that my patience is pretty non existent these days, the same grumbles and moans for about 10 years now. She angrily resents the 15 minute carer visits each day and constantly tells me to cancel them, they sort out her medication each morning and check that all is well she hates the intrusion and seems to think all her memory issues are because she has 'all these women coming in day in day out'. If they just left her alone all would be well(!)
Two things were on her calendar this week, a church club on Thursday and a church dinner tomorrow..... and still she complains. Oh I don't want to go, I'd rather stay here with my own company etc etc.
Today we had the same conversation we often have:
Mum I'm thinking of selling the house and going into a home
Me; oh right
Mum; what do you think
Me; well I can see the advantages, you would have more company and people to talk to
Mum; ha, I don't want to talk to a lot of silly old ladies and sit there watching their telly programmes
Me; well you would probably have a telly in your room if you wanted to watch your favourites
Mum ; I don't want to sit in a room all on my own. Anyway if you think youre going to put me into a home you can forget it I'm staying here.
Me; ok it was your idea though mum
Mum; I just wanted to see your reaction.
Talk about frustrating conversations it's driving me round the bend.
Two things were on her calendar this week, a church club on Thursday and a church dinner tomorrow..... and still she complains. Oh I don't want to go, I'd rather stay here with my own company etc etc.
Today we had the same conversation we often have:
Mum I'm thinking of selling the house and going into a home
Me; oh right
Mum; what do you think
Me; well I can see the advantages, you would have more company and people to talk to
Mum; ha, I don't want to talk to a lot of silly old ladies and sit there watching their telly programmes
Me; well you would probably have a telly in your room if you wanted to watch your favourites
Mum ; I don't want to sit in a room all on my own. Anyway if you think youre going to put me into a home you can forget it I'm staying here.
Me; ok it was your idea though mum
Mum; I just wanted to see your reaction.
Talk about frustrating conversations it's driving me round the bend.