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0h yes. I can relate. I'm called a b constantly when all I do is help with everything. I want my life back.
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Reply to Rogerwyatt7890
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The thing that bothers me most is that I never had any choice about being a cg. I feel a deep sense of moral obligation to care for mom. I woke up one day laid off, with a mother getting too old and frail to care for herself. I was the default child because my mom and I were close. We've always been closer than she has been to my sibs, and even though they love her (or say they do), they do nothing financially or to help with anything at all. I have asked for help from them repeatedly. My mom and I always had fun together and talked. In some ways getting her story and her family stories firsthand is the single greatest thing about caregiving. I love and respect her for being such a good person. She didn't smoke, drink, and she and my dad were married 40 years when he died. Is it corny to write that she set such a good example as a mother and wife? She's fun and loves to ride around with me while I run errands. This IS a labor of love and I know others feel that way. I wanted her to be able to die at home, but I didn't count on 10 years of this and did not fully understand what I was taking on with dementia, heart and kidney issues, mac degen, etc.... Then, there's having to live in her home. I cannot move a tchotchke as it makes the dementia worse. I have devoted myself to this to my own neglect. It's caring for her and the house that consume everything I have. It would have been so much easier to do this as a family, but that was never possible in our family. What makes up for their lack of familial care and love? I am getting everything. Even the tchotchkes. Unfortunately, there may not be much left and even that is OK. I have realized life is about relationships, not possessions, and how you conduct yourself is something to be proud of in life. I hope that God forgives me for yelling at Him when I'm just too tired to do anything.
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JustBreathe8 Apr 17, 2024
Hi Bikegirl-
You’ve written a beautiful and heartfelt post, and G-D will most certainly forgive you for having periodic human frustrations at the very difficult situation. I truly admire your positive outlook. I wish I could absorb some of that and apply it to how I feel. Maybe someday I’ll look back and see something positive about what I’ve been doing for my aunt for all these years. From what I can tell, she’s never noticed.

Hugs to you, JB
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The obliviousness of siblings and other family members about the extreme effort, energy, financial burden and health effects of being the sole caregiver for my parents.
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nickpip25 May 9, 2024
This is very true. My wife and I are in this situation with my mom in law now. My brother in law rarely helps at all, and it's infuriating sometimes.
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Ill confess also...my mom has demensia and 4th stage lung cancer. She moans so loud it breaks the sound barrier. She fell last week and was acting so nuts I called ambulance. As soon as she gets to hospital she can talk. Walk. Eat. Drink and make sense to Dr and nurses. They actually transported her home because I couldn't get her that day. She returned at 5pm. Moaning. Refusing to eat. Can't walk...already fell. I feel trapped. Like I'm a prisoner here with a guard that only moans at me. I make food...she says she's hungry and I bring it and she won't eat. I cannot afford to throw out all the food she rejects. It's driving me nuts. Some of you say...suck it up. How? Ever tried it? To never be able to sleep myself and with all the influcted aggravation...it makes me worse. I've been doing this for 11 years! And I have a narcissistic brother who left for Florida for a month and he gets me served with lies about me smoking in the house and that I won't even give her a tylenol! How would he know??? This has been in court for 16 months because hi illegally changed her poa to only him but does nothing because all he wants is her money. It's exhausting. Any advice without someone ripping me to shreds?
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Anxietynacy Mar 16, 2024
No one should tell you to suck it up, or make you feel riped to shreds.

I'm sorry if you have felt that way
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My mother and I always argued about everything. If it was red, she will say it was green. If it took 30 minutes, she will say it was 5 or less. If he was here yesterday, she will say it's been weeks. But also she never believed anything I said from early childhood on. When I said that I thought one of her sisters had some kind of dementia, she said I was crazy. Two years later when other relatives said it, of course she believed them. Do you know what it's like to NEVER be believed?
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Beatty Mar 7, 2024
Trying to be rational with an irrational person will wear out your brian.

I like to simply reply "Yes". Accompanied with a fake smile 😁

Some elders use verbal sparring for entertainment, to relieve boredom. I once met an old lady like this.. a nurse asked if she needed help opening her banana. "It's not a banana" came the swift reply. Nurse says something like Oh my mistake. Do you need help opening that yellow piece of food?

Old lady says " It's a BANANA. Don't you KNOW what it is??"
🙄😭🤣
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Begging your family to help and they won't even when you are exhausted from years of doing it all by yourself.
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Reply to Bubba12345
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I hate the term "caregiver". I don't care. She's awful and dealing with her makes me miserable. I want a LIFE. I need to EARN MONEY. There is nothing good about this. Not one single nice moment. The only thing I've learned is that I have a sense of duty, which may not be healthy. I've also learned I'm not capable of murder.

If you drink, you deserve to have your kids abandon you when you're old and infirm. Those drinks are actively contributing to your future dementia.

If you don't save up AT LEAST $250,000 (that's in addition to your social security checks) for assisted living, then you'll get put in a Medicaid bed next to some other coughing patient for God knows how many years. Don't expect to move in with a relative. That's cruel.

I'm wasting my time typing this. The people who need to read this aren't reading this.
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Anxietynacy Mar 3, 2024
I think people should most definitely prepare for their aging, and never expect you children to care for you, under any circumstances, even if you lived the best life!!!
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I love my parents but I struggle with anxiety and resentment, followed by guilt for feeling resentment. Now days, I jump out of my skin every time the phone rings. Dad loves to reminisce about the great times he had with Mom after retiring --- travel (Italy and US), socializing (ballroom dancing, bowling leagues and all of the things they did with friends). MY retirement, on the other hand, is NONE of those things. The best years of MY retirement are being spent taking care of THEM in the house they built, which they won't leave but can't take care of anymore. Dad is a sharp 95, but Mom is 91, has dementia and can't care for herself or be left alone. Because it wasn't part of their plan, ever, to move into a senior living/retirement community where they could age in place (reasonable affordability not an issue), they have left ALL of the hard decisions and heavy lifting to us. They did not take care of their own parents so they don't even grasp the consequences of their choices. Note to self: I will NOT do this to MY children. 😩
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Oedgar23 Mar 2, 2024
I’m so sorry. I relate to this level of anxiety. Always a new crisis. Like you, I’ll never do this to our kids.
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I am caring for an aunt who has no kids. I have been a caregiver for my mom and dad and they both have passed on. My issue is caring for them they were so appreciative but with my aunt, she feels like someone owe her something. She gets flip at the mouth and it's like she doesn't want to adapt to my way of living since she was a hoarder. I have ocd and it really get hard bumping heads. She need to realize that I'm helping her and right now I'm trying to find her a nice place but her income won't allow it since she didn't work a lot in her younger days. She's 85 now, and have step siblings who she does not affiliate herself with them now. I have had her evaluated and waiting on the results but I see some signs of dementia happening with her.
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PeggySue2020 Mar 2, 2024
I think in these situations you tell aunt that she should be glad anyone cares about her! I’m childless and if I’m the one left I would love one lunch out with the niece, as opposed to making her the cg
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Warching the decline at high speed and slow motion. DEMENTIA is a horrible disease.
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Watching my father's decline which has increased in the last two months. He is a shell of the father I once knew. I'm his sole provider and I think I'm depressed, have trouble sleeping, and just don't care about things anymore.
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Angie60 Mar 16, 2024
Hugs. I'm sorry for you. I'm in the same boat. Shall we open the champaign? Sending love and hugs. I know it doesn't help much but know someone does care about you.
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So I'm not full time caregiver just yet, but being the only daughter between two brothers I can already see I will have steep path in front of me. I know I'm not promised tomorrow but if it's going in the natural order... 😔. I think what bothers me the most is that I have sacrificed the most and will continue to, and be treated the worst. Jeez when I write it down I sound like a spoiled jealous sibling. OH but there is so much more between these lines. I have always promised to take care of her and I will until I don't have the ability to do it safely. But I almost dread it and just that makes me feel like crap. Yup I'm certain I need therapy. I don't know if I answered your question but this forum has alot of experience and wise advice.
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Beatty Feb 29, 2024
Is it the natural order?
Or a convenience to men.

What if you were another brother?
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You’re not alone! My mother does the same thing. She has “per” doctor near psychotic episodes, his save all do all is take her to Er!!! They in turn send the sweet little old lady home! She poops on herself and gets it everywhere and it sets her off! I pooped in her pants, smeared it all over the wall scrubbed it with my tooth brush!! Not her she didn’t do it I did! And she wants to parade around nude in-front of my husband who she believes is her husband!!
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Siblings not agreeing with me on her decline and alienating me to handle my make believe world.
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VictorianDoll Feb 21, 2024
Yep! My family tool……..get told I don’t have the knowledge to care for mom! It’s a vicious cycle!
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What a good post!!! Look at all the replies!! You got your vent out and helped everyone else too!! Thank you so much! Mine isn't about being abused by mom but from the family!! I was tired of having to do everything myself and get nothing but accusations and criticism from them. I call them "armchair dictators"! They got to come and go, have a life,get her love and I made sure she got everything she wanted/ needed including her ice-cream not cookies, lol. I know what you mean about being treated like a nothing. Mom passed away last October and I'm almost done with all the financial stuff and then I'll disown some of them. I've had enough of being an only child when I wasn't one.
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sheepherder Feb 29, 2024
I'm thinking if you are caregiver of a family member. And there are those who are circling the drain. Your going to catch crap from them on your skills of doing so. And the one you're careing for is dishing out their own crap. You are being slammed in every direction. When in reality the caregiver should be praised, occasionally relieved and compensated. How is it that it's so twisted? Or is it just the caregivers of difficult people are looking for advice, while the ones with no problems are searching?
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I hate the lingering and slow motion decline of my 95 year old parents and the wishing and waiting for this endless slogfest to finally be over.
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Ditto, except its my 94 yr old Mom. I don't want to live this long if you have to take insulin and handful of pills every day. And I don't have any kids to take care of me. Just kidding, I would never do this to my worst enemy. Care giving sucks
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Loss of personal time and personal time with spouse,
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Tasha123 Mar 2, 2024
It really ripped the bandaid off my marriage.
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Not knowing when it's going to end, and knowing it's going to end
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Devushka Mar 17, 2024
This is the hardest thing for me, too.
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So many things I didn't expect when I quit my job to stay home and care for my husband full time after a stroke/TBI.
I'm so thankful for this community of caregivers sharing thoughts and suggestions!
The exasperating behaviors resulting from significant brain damage! Like grunting, groaning, yelling out for hours at a time, including overnight.
Fighting off any attempts to provide personal cares. So its always a battle.
And finally - family, friends and neighbors assume I have time to take care of their needs, because they assume I'm at home all day with nothing to do! They have no idea how drained I am, physically and emotionally, every day!
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Reply to CaringWifeAZ
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fluffy1966 Jan 11, 2024
Caring, I know how draining your work with your brain-injured husband must be. If you could please establish better boundaries with the REST of the folks in your life (friends, family & neighbors) you could avoid the irritation at their insensitivity in asking MORE of your time.
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I second your one , Marialake.
took my dad to buy a new belt last night at Macy's. It was a demeaning experience. I need time to recover just from that one "good deed".
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BarbBrooklyn Jan 28, 2024
Demeaning? Your dad demeaned you? In public?

Is this how he's always been, or is this just since he's had dementia?
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MIL. I feel the same about mine and know that she would be completely different if it was her son that was bleeding out.
Battleaxe is subtle. You are far too kind, IMHO
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AllUsedUp27 Dec 28, 2023
I'm sorry you're going through this too. Hugs
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Omg, I feel the same way, they don't notice we're burnt out, dropping everything for them, sacrifice over and over, then they're just worried about their rug or cat, not a thing about me. I've been caring for my mother for about 5 years, none of my family have stepped up. I live 2 hours away, new marriage too. She uses me then treats me badly, talks smack about me to everyone now. I've had nervous breakdowns, I gained a bunch of weight (lost it now), half of my hair has fallen out and my health is now at risk because of her, BS.
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ventingisback Dec 28, 2023
HUG
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Having to do it all on my own. I am 1 of 7 children, single, no kids, so obviously to my siblings I was the best choice to be mom's caregiver. Apparently to my siblings, I don't need to have a life. Been taking care of mom for over 10 years. In 2021 we moved and are now living with my sister and BIL. My sister has been a great help with the caregiving. I get a little time to myself now, and get a 2 week vacation without mom. It's better than nothing which is what I was getting before moving.
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JuliaH Feb 18, 2024
Boy,do I hear you!!!! My brother cried to become to be POA,"I can't trust you"and I said " fine,take it!!!" Then it was," it could hurt me and my family!" So,that's OK if it comes back on me.??!! I'm single and brothers have family so...I'm the "fall girl." I'm glad you are getting some time for yourself!
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Depending on the situation ..
the word “ Caregiving “.

Sometimes it’s “ Assigned Servitude”.
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It also breaks a lot of family relationships.
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waytomisery Oct 2023
It sure does !!
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Justice pleasssse.
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Seeing how narrow their world gets to be and how much it restricts my interactions. Watching the same TV program over and over because it seems new to them, having to answer the same questions over and over, being accused of not visiting even though I am there everyday, etc. I know it is not their fault but still…..
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Soldier4Christ Nov 2023
I have watched Andy Griffin and Gunsmoke maybe 5,000 times or more and seen them all but my mom ask me have I seen this? I use to lie now I say I don't think so.
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Have said it before, but need to say it again: let justice prevail. Pleasssssse.

It would be the first time I see real justice in my life.
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AllUsedUp27 Nov 24, 2023
I feel your pain.
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So sick of the selfishness, lack of gratitude, entitlement, blaming and accusations. Tired of the manipulation, lies and negative cycles of thinking, that just aren't true.
I hate the word: Normal, that's normal. Ok cool that's normal how do we deal with it, we try and redirect, we try to be empathetic, what do we do with this?!
Tired of any conversation being a land mine whether it is us just trying to engage with her. Or others trying to engage with her, knowing or unknowing bringing up past things that is a major source of conflict. Constantly cringing waiting for the fight after others leave because they unknowingly created a conflict that we have tried so hard to avoid.
Sick of feeling guilty or made to feel guilty we know we have done our very best to provide the best of the best and make the best decisions possible. Yet there is nothing that will help her be happy or at the very least content.
Just as much as she didn't ask for Alzheimer with Dementia, we didn't ask to be abused!
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AlvaDeer Oct 2023
Excellent rant! Excellent venting. And the PERFECT thread to do it on. You have my congratulations.
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