Should I ignore him this week?

Yes, ignore him. It used to work on my Dad. Its time he bugs his other children. So tell him that. Dad, please call one of the other kids. I can no longer be at ur beck and call. I just don't have that many hours in a day with a job and kids. (Make up that chart I suggested on another post)

Let your siblings experience what u do. Then...have a meeting to see how everyone feels. If ur all on the same page...you all go over to Dads and tell him time for an AL or help in his home.

Its sad, he is going thru something scary but he is not the only person who has done this alone. He needs to realize that his children cannot just put their lives on hold. They are responsible for other people and have jobs. To have a decent life now it takes two salaries. He needs to allow others to help him. He is not going to bring you all closer, he is going to alienate you at a time when he really needs your support.

you can’t change him. You can change your response to him. Your option is to do what you need to do. If it’s an emergency, send 911 to him and don’t go. Do Not Go.

I guess my question would be what are you trying to accomplish. Ignoring him for just a week is likely to do nothing but make him act out again, fake an illness, call repeatedly, etc. if he thinks you will eventually show up. Do you really feel that he is doing this for some reason or is he just being annoying on purpose? Is he lonely and this is the only way to get attention? I'll just say what I learned from two different people who have done similar things.

One of the people was a family member who would call me all the time, with one thing or another. She'd lay in bed and claim that she couldn't get up to use the bathroom, could I bring her food, magazines, cat food, etc. All the while she was perfectly able to get up, walk, etc. It wasn't until a later down the road that it came out that she had dementia. She was actually scared, but, embarrassed to tell me something was not right in her mind. Also, she couldn't figure out how to do simple things. She was panicking due to the changes in her brain and wanted me there. That's why she lied and seemed so desperate for me to come over for no real reason. If you think he has dementia, you might try to intervene to get him 24/7 supervision, even if it's help he doesn't like.

One other family member often complains of ailments, asks for blood pressure machine, heating pad, call doctor's office, etc. and there is nothing wrong with her except she has been diagnosed with anxiety and depression. It manifests itself in ailments throughout her body, yet she refuses treatment. After MANY trips to the ER, where there is nothing wrong with her that a anti anxiety pill doesn't cure, I don't get involved with her ailments any longer and let her and her doctor handle it.

You need a different care strategy for him, one that includes boundaries for yourselves. First, more information would be helpful: how old is he? What are his cognitive abilities (forgetful, hallucinations, irrational, not just dysfunctional and manipulative)? Is he able to do his ADLs on his own but just doesn't want to? Does anyone have durable PoA for him? If not, why not? Whose home is he living in? Other physical/medical issues? He is jerking you around because you are allowing it. Thanks!

Yes. Tell him the little boy calling wolf-wolf story. Tell him you will not come by, and that if it is a medical emergency he needs to call 911. Go grey rock on him. Saying nothing to his hysteria but "call 911; I cannot come over". He clearly needs placement and doubt he will accept that until you stop playing slave, and of course you are the one he calls, because you are the one who goes over.