My Mom lives a mile away at my sister's. My sister does quite a bit for Mom (brothers nothing at all). I work 4 days/week and take Mom on all my days off as I want to share the responsibility. It's hard, though, because Mom knows the days I am not working and books me for everything without even asking (doctors appointments, hair dresser, shopping...) Today I was planning a respite day for myself as I had to work extra days this weekend and will have her for the next 3 days. She called and asked me to run her errands - 5 stops in all. Nothing emergent, just stuff she wanted done (she doesn't drive). For the first time in months (years?) I declined, told her I had too much to do. In truth I sat on the deck in the sun and read a book that's been sitting on my nightstand since Christmas. I feel a twinge of guilt but honestly think this may be a bit of a breakthrough. I think it's ok to say no sometimes.
In addition to caring for my Mom, I work as a Pediatrician and so have quite a bit of insight into women's lives. In any given day, 85% of people who bring kids to see me are Moms - regardless of how many hours they work in and outside of the home. It seems to me this caregiver gender role imbalance is very clearly still in place as we care for our aging parents.
I think it might be that there was an unexpected dark side to the Women's Movement. Of course, it gave us a tremendous amount of opportunity and I am eternally grateful for the women who came before me and faught so hard. With that opportunity, though, came a lot more social and financial responsibility. And here it is... the problem with the Women's Movement is that there was not a corresponding and equal Men's Movement. As women took on more responsibilities outside of the home, men didn't for the most part pick up the domestic slack. Of course, there are wonderful exceptions but from my view point, spending my days talking with Moms (and now fellow elderly parents caregivers) as I do, these aren't all that common.
I'm 52 and think of myself as in a kind of cusp generation. Not really a Baby Boomer, not exactly Gen X either. My peers and I have seen a lot of change in our lifetimes. When I was a kid, most Moms were home - working Moms weren't common - their children were "latch key kids" (when was the last time you heard that one?). For me, though, there were very different expectations. It wasn't a matter of would I go to college and have a career - it was a matter of which one? So I happily went along, preparing myself for a productive life as a physician, married along the way and then BAM! - kids came into my life. I had no idea how to balance work and kids - had no role model. I had to, in effect, be both my mother AND my father.
In those early days, my husband spent a lot of time fishing. Yes, I did learn to let him know what I needed him to do and yes when prompted he did step up to the plate but really?? Do men really need a list?
In the past few years, as my kids have moving slowly toward independence, my parents (just Mom now) have started the slow slide toward total dependence. Again, I find myself at the helm in providing care, and when I look around what is see for the most part is other women doing the same. It's not hauling strollers and car seats around in parking lots any more - now it's cane and walkers. It doesn't really feel that different.
So yeah, Moecam, right on with the #youtoo. Sign me up.
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It doesn't matter if the towels are folded just right as long as they are clean because you can take them out of a laundry basket & use them without them ever sitting on a shelf - help come in many forms - eg. the brothers could even take on the gardening at the sisters' places or home maintenance to free up time on the sisters' roster if they find themselves incapable of directly helping their mom but generally it is just excuses as they expect sis to pick up the slack
This doesn't come easy to anyone but women generally see a job that needs to be done & do it whereas men don't see that job at all - sometimes men just need to be awakened to what is necessary - I mean that the sons help & not that they pawn it off on their wives because this is their mom/dad when all is said & done
Secondly, I agree with those who said you can honor your mother without kow-towing to her. Growing up I believe NO is one of the first words we learn!!! There are plenty of NOs we get over the years from our mothers and fathers. Saying no outright all the time is not the answer, but OP did not do this all the time - she took a sanity day. Same thing many of us do when work and other issues take a toll and you take a "sick" day just to unwind. Errands can be deferred (not emergencies though.)
As for my brothers - almost useless. Our mother has been moved to MC from her condo, so none of us actually took her in to care for her. After the first place we looked at and they found out the cost, BOTH of them said "Gee, for that price I'LL take her in..." Neither had ANY idea what that would entail. Despite trying to share what I learned, neither was very receptive, one even calling me a "know-it-all." I can ASSURE everyone here that probably within one month (or less!) they would throw in the towel!!! As for all that I take care of? The younger (other POA) does not manage his own affairs/finances very well, I cannot envision him handling any of this properly! The other has no POA, in addition to not living local, so many items cannot be handled (for instance without POA he can't manage the bank account, cannot get medical info, or order her meds online.) He also has no clue about the Medicaid issues if you spend anything of hers for yourself (he has periodically told me to take some from the trust we set up for myself. Despite informing him, he still continues to suggest I pay myself and 1) this is not documented anywhere and 2) Just NO. The trust may not last long enough, in which case we would have to rely on Medicaid and taking those funds would be a huge problem!
I had been doing my research when I suspected dementia was creeping in, so I was aware of where this would go and KNEW I could not care for her (physical would be bad enough, not doable, and my house would not be accommodating, but she has also long been able to drive me batty, sometimes in very short order, so no way Jose will she be moving in with me.)
One brother is 10 years younger, so still must work. What are you going to do with her all day and at night too? The other has periodically picked up employment although he is now over SS FRA. Even if he stopped working, he is not local and would have no idea how to care for her (during this latest visit, he rebuffed suggestions to just go visit her!! He does not know how to interact with her!!!) nor would we be able to "spell" him (2 day drive.)
The scary part is the younger one and I are POA, but I have been doing everything and it IS becoming an issue (there is a lot to do even when not caring hands-on.) The condo has been sitting for almost a year and a half because I cannot get them to help me clear it out. Older brother came up (again) to get this done, the other has done very little. We did not even get a full week in when that 'visiting/assisting' brother physically man-handled me, so I ordered him out of my house, and have NO intention to have ANY contact after that incident. I had thought that he had outgrown his verbal and physical abusive nature while we were growing up - guess I thought wrong (I also confirmed with someone else that this is NOT the first time, or even second time he has done this to someone.) The plan was to go over the list of things I manage with both of them and come up with a plan, at least for the case of something happening to me, but even better to offload some things. CLUELESS THE TWO OF THEM!!! So I have a list, with some explanations, but it needs to be done in person and that plan fell apart after I had to kick him out. Often I cannot even get a text response from the other brother.
:-|
The killer is when I show up to visit mom or take her to appointments, there are two questions I get every time: "What are you doing here?" and "Where did you come from?" So, brother comes to visit, and doesn't mom fawn all over him, her first born darling baby boy!!! I don't want her fawning over me, but it does feel like a smack in the face to see what he gets vs what I get.
So yeah, there are a lot of men out there than need to "man up" and help provide something for their parent(s). It may never be even, but every little thing someone else can take on helps to spread that burden out. The OPs mom has errands to run? Sheeeet, those "boys" can drive and haul whatever is purchased just as well or better than we "girls." They can take mom to hairdresser or doctor, THAT is not women's work. It is just something that needs to be done. In my case, one brother cannot provide that help since he is not local (and I do NOT want him around anymore now!!), the other bitches about the time off from work to run the doctor appointments or whatever (there are no real "errands" that can be run.) It would be difficult to split out the financials and other paperwork, but he *should* be working with me in the event that he needs to take over (he is the only other POA.) Of course I do believe that he only visits on those special days when I try to "coordinate" us to be there (birthdays, Christmas, Mother's day, etc.) If I did not do this, who knows if he'd even go there?!?!?!?! It is clear already that the other likely would not visit much (if at all) if he WAS local. I don't even have a good or special relationship with mom, but if it were not for me being proactive and taking charge of things, more than likely the condo would be in serious trouble AND mom would be dead already.
Getting brothers to be ‘carers’ can be a very hard call. Getting mothers to raise their expectations of brothers can be just as hard. Perhaps specific jobs would be easier to transfer. If they organised the shopping, or drop off and pick up at the hairdressers, at least you might have a more enjoyable time with your mother. Driving does at least rate better as a ‘boy thing’. Mother might think of grocery shopping as ‘getting out’ but I bet you don’t enjoy it all that much. Perhaps you might manufacture your own difficulties in driving, parking, twisting to look backwards etc? If you think some of the suggested 'family meeting' approaches are too hard, some small things could help and also bring your brothers into the loop more generally.
Something I don't think I have seen addressed here. Everyone mentions brothers stepping up to the plate. It seems to me, it would be the Sister-in-Laws that probably would be doing the actual work. Since it is usually the women who do the socializing, scheduling, and housework like we do, How about asking the Sister-in-Laws if they could take mom for a little while. If they aren't on board, the men aren't going to go against the women they sleep with. It didn't help me when my mother was alive, but it might help some of you.
AnyodyOutThere, how about MAKING your brothers help out? Can you and your sister present a unified front to those lazy do-nothings?
Honor your mother does not mean be a martyr
Good for the OP claiming some personal time. For a long time I jumped when my mother claimed my time. I learned to set boundaries and my mother sort of learned them. If it's an emergency, I just go, but otherwise it's on my schedule. I still give plenty of time and it sounds like the OP does too.
Your mom is still quite mobile but this may lessen in the future & you both will need the boys to help even more - speak with sis & be a united front when you confront those guys - don't accept excuses of 'I'm too busy', 'I don't know how' or other whining because you/sis are busy too & deserve a life that doesn't leave you feeling a bit guilty about taking some time to read a book you have had for 4 1/2 months
Give them a choice of this and/or that from a long list because don't expect them to come up with something on their own [seeing this list may open their eyes & put everything on it down to the laundry] - make a start somewhere you can add later - one of them can take her on an errand run with 5 stops every Sat. & the other can take her to church on Sun. or out for a drive to lunch at a special restaurant so during that time you can get time for yourself or for getting caught up & not feel so frazzled so your time with her has better quality - it is that they pony up time for mom & you don't need to say 'because I have a dentist appointment' for 1 off help this should be regular on their part
Years ago I said to my husband that our son was going to learn to clean a fridge then he said 'that's not a boy's job' to which I answered 'he eats food from that fridge doesn't he?' .... end of discussion - your brothers probably never were asked to help but as long as they are on the right side of the grass then they can learn to pitch in - don't let them do it badly to get out of helping [which some guys do on purpose] rather say you will supervise until they get it right ... no adult male wants his sister 'supervising' him so he won't pull this & will learn fast
Maybe part of '#metoo' should be '#youtoo' where the men stop saying 'that's woman's work' [usually something a bit nasty or time consuming or repetious] because the only true woman's work is breastfeeding everything else can be done by both sexes [except standing to pee ... LOL] - it is time for the ladies to hand the vacuum, mop and broom to the gents
The only thing is, though. If you'd mentioned to your mother that you were busy that day, perhaps she wouldn't have taken it for granted that you'd accept her To Do list. Do set boundaries, yes, please do; but also do what's normal, and communicate.
And ugh brothers!
I was doing my own thing, although feeling a bit guilty, when I got a phone call from the ambulance service! Mum had decided, since I wouldn’t take her, that she would go out by herself (which she had stopped doing), she had fallen against a railing and 2 spikes on the railing had gouged her head, so she needed to go to the hospital for stitches. Goodness, did I feel guilty then.
Do you think she felt guilty? Maybe but probably not. She had things to do, maybe she read a book at some point as well, once you figured you could ride your bike to wherever you wanted her to drive you to, and were out of the house for a few hours.
There is a quote by Elanore Roosevelt..."Nobody can make your feel inferior without your consent" I think it is the same way as feeling guilt. It is your choice to have those feelings or not.
I am sure there are plenty of things that you do for your Mom. I am sure that she appreciates them weather or not she acknowledges them or not. I am sure you did not acknowledge everything your Mom did for you when you were young either.
It is part of feeling of love and trust that you know someone is there for you, will be there in a time of "crisis" and if need be will drop everything in an emergency. Running a few errands is not an emergency. I bet if she were ill, had a fall, were taken to the hospital you would not have sat on the deck reading a book.
Your Mom has already forgotten you said NO that time and has moved on.
Give her a hug next time you see her, tell her you love her, and life goes on.
By the way I think we all need to be told NO more often it builds character, self reliance and reminds us we don't always get what we want and to appreciate what we have.
Am sure your sister is feeling the stress like you are. Giving her a 3-day break at the expense of you having a 0-day break from responsibilities isn’t good for you. Didn’t that 1 day feel great? If you feel uncomfortable giving yourself 1 day every week, perhaps start with every other week?
Yes, I know this is often what the parents expect. I just wish the victims (the daughters) would simply refuse to bear the burden of elder caregiving alone. I wish they would start a revolution of sorts; just simply refuse to do it without the males helping out.