Am I a horrible daughter because I don't care anymore what happens to my mother, who had mental issues and was so abusive and controlling that both my sister and I are still over 50 years later so broken and barely emotionally functional? She had what seems to be rapid onset dimentia over the last two months and all of us have dropped everything in our lives to care for her...taking shifts staying at her house. All three of our parents have dimentia. My stepdad was diagnosed over a year ago and is currently in a care facility receiving rehab for a brain bleed. My mom was having issues with memory a few weeks before my dad went to the hospital and then it seemed like a rapid decline happened. She immediately began getting manic, aggressive and verbally abusive. I was a caregiver at the facility where our Dad lives for three years. I never experienced anyone with dimentia as agressive as my mom. All of us have done everything in ourpower to support her and make her feel safe and cared for but the last several weeks have been unbearable and all of us decided today that we are done. She is violent, agressive and so verbally abusive that it is damaging all of us so much that we are shutting down physically, emotionally and mentally. She repeatedly tries to pick fights and if you dont engage, or walk away when nothing defuses her, she will follow you, screaming and cursing. If you ignore her she will fly at you and get within an inch of your face and start swinging her arms around like shes gonna smack you across the face. It's terrifying. She looks insane. She came after my brother the other day during one of those episodes and he finally had to pick her up, set her outside the door ,close it and leaned against to keep her from coming after him.. She screamed and pounded on it until she got tired and went upstairs. She got so violent the other day and was hitting herself in the face and threatening to take off in the car and kill herself. We called the police and the minute they showed up, instantly she became this sweet old lady who was having problems with her memory. When the police came out they said she didn't seem like she was a danger to herself or anyone else so until something happened there is nothing they could do. The minute they left she came downstairs smiling, and said 'well I took care of that didn't I'? and screamed at us to 'get the hell out of her g d house'! My sister (Who has spent the last two years fighting breast cancer )started bawling and my mom looked at her and smiled.dimentia. My sister raised me and I would do anything for her. She is the kindest, gentlest person I know. In that moment I hated my mother and I dont care if she's old or sick because the truth isshe is just plain evil. I remember seeing her behave like this when I was little. The dimentia just seems to have made her more vicous and proficient in her abilities to manipulate people. So all of us are walking away to save ourselves. The only problem with that is that they are sending my stepdad home in two weeks. My mom refuses to let us set up in home care and says she will take care of him.They have a history of vicious fights.because my mom loke I said loves to pick fights and will keep at him until he looses his temper. Although he probably won't be able to do any damage to her in his condition. We have told the rehab that it is not a safe environment for him. But they don' t seem to be too concerned because my mom behaves herself when she goes to see him. My brother who lived with them is moving out. We have tried to get accross to the police, her doctor, and anyone else involved how severe her issues are, but she is too good at controlling herself in public. No one can intervene until something bad enough happens that requires emergency intervention. I suppose all four of us are going to hell for not taking care of our mom. But our lives have been hell so I suppose we will feel right at home. I guess what I want to know is.. is there ever a point when nothing you do is enough and its okay to abandon your mother?
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I remember many incidents similar to those you describe. Especially how she would turn "on a dime" into a sweet little lady and completely "snow" the doctors or "experts." Mental illness is awful. Now I am left with guilt for struggling to really "care" even though she has calmed down with medication.
I feel like the bad person.
Follow the advice above, reporting to APS, do what you can, then change your phone number, get yours and the siblings names off of emergency contacts with her doctors, otherwise you will be sucked back into the vortex again.
Before you leave, could you please have her home checked for carbon monoxide
or gas leaks? Is there an issue with drugs? Then go, feel free, don't look back with any guilt. Even though she is ill, no one would want to have that many lives invested and destroyed into what appears to be a lost battle. It would make a huge difference if she were willing to get help, and she will never do that if you all stay. One thought, is that she may respond better to stranger's offers of help, maybe family history and unhealthy attachments upset her too much. This is not your fault. It is called detach with love, ask your therapist.
Jessie's suggestion of having her tested for a UTI is excellent but right now it sounds as though she needs to be in a locked facility and be properly assessed and medicated. As far as your stepdad is concerned it sounds as though he should either say in the rehab NH or some other form of assisted living unless you are all prepared to care for him at home and you don't have to.
When Mom gets into a temper outburst take a video of it so you can show authorities how dangerous she really it. Remove the car keys and hide all sharp knives or any thing else that can be used as a weapon especially guns. i can not express enough how much danger you may be in. You are not a bad person you are just in a bad situation.
You are not a bad daughter. You've been worn down by years of verbal and emotional abuse and you've had enough. There's nothing wrong in walking away from a toxic, abusive relationship even if it's with our parent.
My suggestion, what I personally think you all owe your mom and stepdad, is an organized effort to get Adult Protective Services involved. Think of it as your going-away gift.
A concise letter, CONCISE, addressing the fact that your stepdad absolutely will NOT be safe in his own home...that mom is physically acting out, she is incapable of normal interaction with those who have attempted to help her...and, that, further, her children have stepped away for their own safety and mental health.
Copy to APS and mom's local police department.
Do this only after your brother moves out. I say that because my instinct tells me he won't.
Try not to feel guilty. Some family relationships are so totally toxic that the ONLY way to survive them is to write them completely out of our lives.