After taking care of my entire family off and on my entire life, 31 yrs, and since my dad passed 4 yrs ago, I have been sole 24/7 caregiver to both. My mom has multiple problems including multiple strokes, TIA's, heart attacks, diabetes, fibromyalgia, neuropathy, lupus, arthritis, Ehlers Danlos, mental illnesses and more. My brother has cerebral palsy and is 44, quadriplegic, mental age more of 12, mental issues majorly including severe anger issues. Both of them have physically and emotionally abused me many times, so bad to where cops had to get involved. I have permanent back and hip injuries due to the abuse. After dealing with this for 4 yrs, and all of my childhood from my mother, I have decided I am done and want to move on with my life. Originally, my mom agreed to go into a home on May 15th and agreed to have my brother placed into a home. However, now she has decided to do none of that. I have POA on my mom but not on my brother. This must happen by June 5th, as my boyfriend's family has already booked my plane ticket for their family reunion at end of June, and I must go. This was booked back when my move out date was May 1st. But my mom wants to make sure that my life is continued as a prisoner to this house as their caretaker. She doesn't care what I want nor what I deserve. I want to make sure they go to a place that they would be happy at and not some horrible home Adult Protective Services sends them to. How can I do this on this short of notice without involving Adult Protective Services? Please help me! I can't take any more of this abuse and threats and everything else they do to me. I truly feel like the only family I have is my boyfriend. That I no longer have an actual family, I feel all I am to them is their slave! Please help me!
You're an angel and it's just too bad your family dynamic doesn't reflect how much you've done for your mom and brother. Come back here often, we get it. And you'll find a LOT of support from us. You're a wonderful daughter and sister and you have every right to have a happy life of your own.
You don't control whether your mother or brother will be happy, only they can do that for themselves. You're not superwoman. You're just a loving daughter and sister and that is more than enough!
Feeling like you're stuck in a prison with your mother as the warden (and your brother as the slightly scary person in the upper bunk, don't tell me) would make sense because you are also institutionalised, in that you seem to feel you belong there. Otherwise, why aren't you angry? Me, I'd be angry. People who haven't been emotionally injured by the kind of abuse you've absorbed will be thinking "LOSE them!"
But, I can see, you do care. It is not unusual for people to continue to love abusers, so I don't doubt that you do genuinely love both your mother and your brother. Nothing will stop you doing those things even when you are not physically providing them with services. But what you're talking about is sacrificing yourself to their needs, and the worst of that is? It won't make any difference to them. It'll bugger up your life, but it won't improve theirs. Not one bit.
Ba8alou, Pam Stegman and Blannie have suggested much kinder ways of thinking about this than I have, and their advice is practical and good. PLEASE take it. I would be so happy to think that your travel dates are confirmed and your mother and your brother are both booked in to good quality, long-term placements. Now, get yourself to a place of safety. When you look back ten years from now, you'll cry with relief that you did.
So I am here saying to you, Love Yourself As Well.
Feel so much better because I know she is getting great care. Please think of you .prayers for will be going up . God Bless You.
You should remove yourself for a fresh start. Let your mother and brother stay in THEIR home. Find them 2-3 roommates. Couple people can bring $7000+ monthly income into that house. It will pay all bills, food and few part time caregivers. You might hire one living in (cheaper because includes room+board) and couple helpers for few hours daily on flexible schedule. No, you do not need a license if you rent a room in your house, but you should sign a contract for care. Hire your own caregivers for $9-10 per hour and you will feel great: here you are - still in charge of your mom's/brother's care but having few benefits from it. Have any questions? Ask me!
You're entitled to a great deal of compassion and respect for wanting them to be happy, but others' happiness is something we can't control, especially given the situation you've described. You can only control your own attitudes and happiness.
And given what you've written, I'm not sure that they will ever be happy wherever they are.
Perhaps they don't want to be happy, at least as you define happiness? It seems that there are some ingrained behaviors they both display, and I suspect their "happiness" is gained from manipulating and keeping you tied to them.
Those tactics won't work at facilities, at least not for long.
It's obvious you're conflicted and I suspect, without sounding like an amateur psychologist, that their abuse has lowered your self esteem to the point that it's difficult to think of yourself as a good person, and person #1 in terms of care.
You write of being a prisoner yet still wanting them to be happy. You might want to give some thought to those statements - they reveal a lot about the situation and how you've been emotionally abused for years.
The conflict over not wanting to use APS is I think part of the ambivalence that comes with being emotionally and physically abused. Given what you've endured, you're entitled to use whatever legal and governmental means you can to protect yourself and find placements for them.
Listen to the other posters - they offer excellent advice.
And I would reconsider APS if it's the only way to find placements for them. I say this as gently as I can, but I think that wanting to find an optimum placement for them w/o APS is part of the emotional conflict they've created in tying you to them.
They aren't going to go on their own, and you need to set boundaries, deadlines and then move on with the rest of your life. You'll never be happy or free if you don't.
Good luck, stand your ground, and think positively about that vacation!
Please take the advise that has been given to you and take care of yourself. I've also seen family members die before the ones they were taken care of. DON'T LET THIS BE YOU! Love and preace
As to your brother gaining the house even though he's unable to keep it up, remember that it's really not your problem. Given his attitude and abuse of you, you still need to think of yourself first. And would you really want the house if he refused to leave?
Stick to your decisions and think of yourself first.