Struggling. I have a full-time job in education, a part-time job teaching college, a husband who works full time in the house, and two young children, all while trying to care for my mom who is fairly independent but has COPD, 7 liter/24 hr oxygen and a lot of personal care needs. It all has gotten to be too much. Mom moved in 10/2019 and came to us with alcohol and medication abuse that no one realized was as bad as it was. She was on hospice for years out of state living in an AL, which we helped get her settled in, b/c her doctors said she “didn’t have a lot of time left” since her condition was so poor - then after the first six months living with me/my family, I was able to get things under control and regulated with the help of the nurses, and hospice released her in June 2020, since she was stable and doing so much better. We had come to find out that her breathing and COPD and overall mobility Was made worse by her alcoholism and dependence on narcotics. The first 6+months after she moved in took the biggest toll on my family and I. I am feeling burnt out, feeling resentful, feeling horribly guilty, and not present for my family, my mom, or my work. My mental health and physical health has been deteriorating because of it. My husband has been a supportive saint but he too has had physical effects of the stress and lack of presence and peace in our home. What was once a safe haven (our home) is now seen and felt as the personal caregiver space for my mother. I’m looking for guidance on how to start the conversation in an honest way, because we have a place we are hoping she can be accepted into. The biggest battle is the fact she has no assets and very little money, so there are layers of guilt about not being able to have her move into a high-caliber living arrangement. Grateful for any guidance or help from others :)
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This is going to be made doubly difficult by the fact you moved Mom in. It is my hope that at that time you discussed with her that this may not work for your family but that you will give it a try. If not, this will be a shock. I would assure her you will wait until covid vaccinations are done, and she is safe for a move.
I am sorry. Not everything can be fixed. This is going to be full of grief and sadness. I sure do wish you luck, but there is no way to dress this up.