Caring For Aging Parents Support Group

Caring for aging parents can be a difficul time as we become the caretakers for our parents. This broad responsibility can encompass such services as assisted living, adult day care, long term care, nursing homes, hospice care, and in-home care. Whether you have just started caring for your parents or just need a place to talk, we're here.

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deleted_user
deleted_user
Hi everyone, I am new to this site and so far feel like i am in the right place. My name is Charlene. I am married and have 2 great children. We have an apartment on our home where my mom lives. She is a widow. We lost daddy 3 years ago. Mom has been diagnosed with Mild Cog Inpairment last year.I think in the past year it has progressed alot. I am also a CNA so i work with alot of elderly patients at different stages of dementia. I am having a hard time with balaancing taking care of my family, my home, my work, my kids school and sports activities, all that and mom's home and many doctors appointments showering and just finding time to spend with her as a friend and daughter. I love her very much and sometimes she feels like i just rush in and put up her pills and run off (which is true) but I am like a tug of war rope sometimes.
I would love to just forget everyone some times and just run away!!
I do have 2 other sisters but they are NO help at all.
I am happy to have found this site and you all and welcome any ideas you may have to help me ease this guilt i feel and tricks for balancing things so nobody feels neglected.
deleted_user
deleted_user
Welcome to the site. Glad you found us. The balancing act can be tough, especially with kids. We keep a big calendar with everyone's activities written down so everyone knows where everyone else is in the household. This helps my dad remember where we are and when we should be home. I always make sure to tell him where I am going and when I will be back when I leave and this helps with his anxiety of when someone will be available to him.

Try to schedule personal time for yourself as well. I know that is easier said then done (not that good at following that advice myself), but really you have to take care of you so that you can give your loved ones the best you can.

Best of luck to you.
shur1
shur1
one thing that you have going for you is the fact that your mother lives so close to you and that is a blessing in itself. do not feel guilty you can be there for her in a heartbeat and you can just walk over there and check on her i wished i had that set up. maybe you can get a neighbor to drive the kids to where they have to go that would free your time up just a bit and give you a little space in for yourself. I found myself having to give up little by little as the disease progressed but for me i had no option and as for the people in my life i had to trust that they loved me enough to allow me the time away from them in order for me to do what i had to do I guess i was lucky to have counted on them that they indeed loved me to make sacrafices themselves and not make me feel guilty about all time a spent away from them it was a struggle but i reached a point where i had to draw the line and let them know that it was probably the most important thing in my entire life that i had to do and after i finally got that out and let them know how important this was to me they finally backdown and began to give me the support that i needed so much from them and that was for them to just let me do what i had to do without any guilt trips along the way. I know this is probably not your situation but it was mine at the time hope this help you even if a little bit.

god bless you and give your strength to run the distance
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