I am currently taking care of my mom. My dad is helping but we both work full time jobs. Right now my mom can stay home and take care of herself for the most part. She is not allowed to cook or use the stove but can use the microwave. She has to use a walker to get to the bathroom. We are new at this having to take care of her and we are stressed and scared. Looking for advice.
All the best!
Amy
The only thing they found at the ER was fluid on her lungs, and a high bilirubin count. They tried to do a Cat Scan but she could not lay down for it to be done. We think she had a stroke sometime in the last 2 weeks, her speech is dramatically slurred and she mumbles and is very confused. But other times she is completely lucid and makes perfect sense. She is very weak and shakes all the time.
The reason she is not allowed to cook is the last time she tried to she caught the sleeve of her nightgown on fire. She did not tell us about this until just yesterday!
Make sure you get to your children's band concerts and soccer games and other important activities. And ALSO have some time out for yourself. You should take one weeknight and part of a weekend, too -- not counting the time for the kids' activities.
No matter what your mother's impairments, having regular respite is a way to prevent caregiver burnout.
You say in your profile that Mother has declined dramatically. That will probably continue and she will reach a point where she can't be left alone all day. There are some excellent adult day health programs (day care) out there. I suggest that you look into what is available before the need arises. In fact it might be good to start her soon on one day a week, and add more if/when she declines to the point of needing more.
You can do this! But I'm quite serious in stressing the need for breaks and time off, for both you and your father.
Tell us more about your mother's needs, her age, etc. and some caregivers who've been in similar situations will probably respond sharing their experiences.