Hi everyone,
I was wondering if I could have some advice? I’m 37 with a husband and almost 4 year old son. My Father is only 65 and he has mid stage Alzheimer’s, diagnosed last year. He lives with us. My mother in law has paid for us to have a 5 day break with her and my brother in laws family next month. My younger sister (19) has agreed to move in and look after my father while we are away. My MIL has asked if she can drive her car to our house and park on our drive for the week as her other son is going off on another holiday afterwards and she can’t leave her car at his. My Father has real trouble with paranoia, doors being locked, lights switched on/off etc I know a different car on the driveway will mean 5 days of him peering out of the window and I’m trying to make things as easy as possible for my sister. I know how lucky we are to be able to have someone take over for a few days. My problem is my other half thinks I’m being difficult when I suggested it might be a bit much for his mother to come to us first with the car. I really have tried to explain that any sort of change to Dad’s environment puts him out of sorts and a new car on the drive could cause my sister unnecessary stress. I also worry about returning from holiday as one never quite knows what one is returning to and to add an additional person to that equation is just more stress for me. I find it really hard to balance between everyone sometimes and I try very hard to keep my Father protected and reduce anything that may cause him stress as that is my main role as his carer. Should I just give up and accept that he will have to watch the driveway for 5 days? Thank you in advance for any help. I sometimes feel like I’m living in a very different reality from the rest of the world. X
I was wondering if I could have some advice? I’m 37 with a husband and almost 4 year old son. My Father is only 65 and he has mid stage Alzheimer’s, diagnosed last year. He lives with us. My mother in law has paid for us to have a 5 day break with her and my brother in laws family next month. My younger sister (19) has agreed to move in and look after my father while we are away. My MIL has asked if she can drive her car to our house and park on our drive for the week as her other son is going off on another holiday afterwards and she can’t leave her car at his. My Father has real trouble with paranoia, doors being locked, lights switched on/off etc I know a different car on the driveway will mean 5 days of him peering out of the window and I’m trying to make things as easy as possible for my sister. I know how lucky we are to be able to have someone take over for a few days. My problem is my other half thinks I’m being difficult when I suggested it might be a bit much for his mother to come to us first with the car. I really have tried to explain that any sort of change to Dad’s environment puts him out of sorts and a new car on the drive could cause my sister unnecessary stress. I also worry about returning from holiday as one never quite knows what one is returning to and to add an additional person to that equation is just more stress for me. I find it really hard to balance between everyone sometimes and I try very hard to keep my Father protected and reduce anything that may cause him stress as that is my main role as his carer. Should I just give up and accept that he will have to watch the driveway for 5 days? Thank you in advance for any help. I sometimes feel like I’m living in a very different reality from the rest of the world. X
