I am at the beginning of what feels like it could be a long journey (though of course I don't know for sure how long).
My Father is seventy and recently his behaviour has worsened. He has always been a difficult person but now his memory is getting very bad, he can be vague, irrational and aggressive, he also seems to have the beginnings of some paranoia.
A CT scan of his brain has shown some ventricular dilation which we were told could be the forerunner of some form of dementia. His behavioural changes would certainly suggest something in this direction unfortunately.
His unreasonable and aggressive behaviour in particular has meant that my Mother was sadly forced to leave six months ago (after thirty-five years of marriage) as he had become impossible to live with and was physically violent towards her aswell as being constantly negative and insulting. She had to call the Police on the occasion that she finally left due to physical assault. They also confiscated his shotguns and license as he had begun to get paranoid about burglars and had them out in the house instead of locked in a cabinet. I do not blame my Mother atall for this decision, as she had no absolutely no quality of life whilst still living with him and the situation was beginning to make her physically ill. We did not know catagorically then that his behaviour was due to mental illness/dementia and he has still not had a diagnosis yet, but has been referred to a neuro-psychiatrist, so a possible more certain diagnosis is imminent.
Now that my Mum has left (and has bought herself a house to live in alone) he is alone and it feels like the caring for him has fallen to myself and my sister. I don't mind too much but I have a great mixture of feelings at the moment, sadness, anxiety, anger, etc. I am twenty-nine and also have issues in my own life to deal with.
Myself and my sister live on opposite sides of London and my Father lives in the West Midlands, so it is a difficult situation.
I am sorry this post is so long, but I have really needed to get some of this off my chest, it's feeling quite heavy at the moment.
I am most grateful to anyone who reads this far!
Rebecca
My Father is seventy and recently his behaviour has worsened. He has always been a difficult person but now his memory is getting very bad, he can be vague, irrational and aggressive, he also seems to have the beginnings of some paranoia.
A CT scan of his brain has shown some ventricular dilation which we were told could be the forerunner of some form of dementia. His behavioural changes would certainly suggest something in this direction unfortunately.
His unreasonable and aggressive behaviour in particular has meant that my Mother was sadly forced to leave six months ago (after thirty-five years of marriage) as he had become impossible to live with and was physically violent towards her aswell as being constantly negative and insulting. She had to call the Police on the occasion that she finally left due to physical assault. They also confiscated his shotguns and license as he had begun to get paranoid about burglars and had them out in the house instead of locked in a cabinet. I do not blame my Mother atall for this decision, as she had no absolutely no quality of life whilst still living with him and the situation was beginning to make her physically ill. We did not know catagorically then that his behaviour was due to mental illness/dementia and he has still not had a diagnosis yet, but has been referred to a neuro-psychiatrist, so a possible more certain diagnosis is imminent.
Now that my Mum has left (and has bought herself a house to live in alone) he is alone and it feels like the caring for him has fallen to myself and my sister. I don't mind too much but I have a great mixture of feelings at the moment, sadness, anxiety, anger, etc. I am twenty-nine and also have issues in my own life to deal with.
Myself and my sister live on opposite sides of London and my Father lives in the West Midlands, so it is a difficult situation.
I am sorry this post is so long, but I have really needed to get some of this off my chest, it's feeling quite heavy at the moment.
I am most grateful to anyone who reads this far!
Rebecca
Last edited: