Breathe. It's difficult to map out time to be together going out when you have a person recovering from medical issues staying with you in your previously organized schedule of outside activities.

Is there a senior center nearby that she can go to for a little while to socialize?

Does she enjoy the ipad? I know quite a few seniors who learned to play words with friends on their ipads and from there started playing other games.

Does she like flowers and/or plants? A raised table with small garden area is also an idea.

Best wishes!

We tried to get her to a senior center years ago, she would NOT have it. Her life revolves around the daily mail, looking at her stocks, and her daughter (my wife).

SHe does use her computer, so that is a plus. But even this is getting harder and harder for her.

MIL is 98, and her final days do appear to be coming.

Does she still eat your cooking?

Big hug for you Pepper..... This is so hard.... I went through it with my dad …… He just wouldn't stop even though it created some more serious health problems

When I look back this power struggle made us all miserable at times... He was going to live his life his way even though it wasn't always wise

Unless she is deemed mentally unable to make decisions for herself there really isn't a lot you can do.... She has the right to make bad decisions

My heart goes out to you and your family..... These are really difficult times.... xo

I'm sorry about what your family is going through right now. I wish I knew what to say. My parents are stubborn too.

My in-laws became unable to care for themselves in their own home. I had no power and their child that did have power didn't want to bother. You may not have power either or might feel you have no power. We don't have to sit back and allow things that are self neglect or self abuse but sometimes the battle is so huge that it overwhelms us. For us, a confluence of events made the daughter demand they go into an assisted living due to her not wanting to take daily care of them. This was the best thing for them. Then they became dependent care, meaning it took two people to assist them in all ADLs. It was a nightmare for them and for us. I was often angry at their bad decisions and the bad decisions of their daughter. It was so difficult. It was very hard and my husband was fit to be tied watching his parents get poor care due to their insistence and allowing the wrong daughter to be their medical and financial power of attorney. It finally got so bad that the daughter decided once again it was in her best interest to get them to a higher level of care. We watched this craziness for at least five years and it was very very hard to cope sometimes.

I’m sorry to hear about your MIL. I’ll keep your family on my prayers.
You always reached out to me every time I posted something, I appreciated your kindness.

Hi there, your situation is hard at the least. I feel for you. I'll say a prayer too