I was previously a home health aide/personal care provider for 20 years. I provided care for the elderly (age 70 and under, disabled clients, etc.). I am now caring for my dad. He is 90-years-old. I'm new to Aging Care. I need some re-education in these areas. I'm 55-years-old, single and unemployed (due to caring for my dad).
A year ago I lost contact with my dad. I went without knowing what was going on in his life and what was really happening to his health other than what he had told me before losing his cell phone number. In October of 2022 I was contacted by one of his renters who found my contact information on Facebook. He provided me with my dad’s cell phone number and made it seem that contacting him was urgent. Six months before the tenant reaching out, I tried to send a welfare check to my dad’s place. The local police did, but could not enter beyond the fence to knock on my dad’s door to see if he was OK. When I finally was able to reconnect with my dad and made the move from Colorado to Houston to care for him, I found out that he had to sell his house after the reverse mortgage plan he had was going to foreclose on him if he didn’t come up with the money to pay his elapsed monthly payments to a collection agency. I’ve learned that my dad is mostly financially incompetent and spends money like it’s water including giving it away to total strangers. I am still straightening out some of his financial affairs plus trying to manage my dad’s dementia that is severely effecting his memory and mood. He is making things very difficult on me as well as his tenants. March 2024 will mark a year of me dealing with this situation on my own. I’ve been reading online all about dementia, aging parents, etc. Any advice on beneficial resources would be appreciated.
