Caring for elderly parents? Drop in for support, hand holding and whatever you need

Thank you. Mum is doing really well. The hospice was marvellous- such a civilised way to say goodbye. We were privileged.

So sorry for your loss

for you and your mum

Sorry for your loss Pickle

Sorry for your loss pickle. Hope you are all doing as ok as you can

Pickle I am so sorry for your loss.🌷

oh pickle I am so sorry for your loss. xxx

We lost dad this morning. He was in the hospice, and the staff were lovely. I'm looking after mum now.

Cheers all.

nice but exhausting night away - my charity won an award!! so much wine was taken... We are the Brighton Argus Charity of the Year 2017, which considering we are only 15 months old is pretty good going. Off to DM now to interview home help lady and no doubt do tidying up since I was there on Sat. wonky I hope you've managed to get appt sorted?

Yolo - hope you've had a nice short break
It does feel so all consuming

My weekend has thankfully been a little quieter. A GP did phone me back on Friday right at the end of the day but it wasn't her GP and although he was nice he wasn't particularly helpful except to say get her to phone for an appointment which she won't do as it's too confusing.
I have managed to get my dad (they are divorced but get on ok) to take her if I can make an appointment at the beginning of next week, I've briefed him & sent him some notes so now I just need to battle with the appointments system tomorrow.

I'm away tomorrow night, with friends so that will be a short break. Then on Monday I have someone coming in re a daily home help for at least Mon-Fri. Working away on Tues so wont go that night. No chance of a respite on the evening visits tho unless I'm working/away. DB and SIL will prob come up again fairly soon, which will give me another break.

Even tho my DDs are grown and at uni there is still juggling with them - eg DD2 back for a few days and I want to see/do stuff with her, she's got exams coming up and gets very stressy. As for DH we are like ships in the night at the moment!!

Yolo. Sympathy from me.

When this crisis is over is there any chance of you taking a break so you can clear your head and have a think. It's fine your mother wanting to continue living independent. But this is only happening at great cost to you. It can't go on.

WAY past wine o'clock! DM home, doesnt have PE but does have new spinal collapse fracture. Pain bad, but been referred to some super duper new clnic - we will wait and see. District nuses stood down. If phone rings tonight - am too pissed to drive.

oh wonky that sounds so incredibly stressful, esp long distance. no advice, just wanted you to know I am tinking of you.
DM called for emergency CT scan this pm (for the possibly non-existent lung clot) - luckily for me I was out with DD2, so got back to go round to hers in time for taxi to pick her up. DD2 and I then spent an hour and a half cleaning and tidying... best discovery was a pack of sauce in the cupboard from 2001!!!! will go round again when she calls to say she home from hospital.

Sorry that was a mammoth one

Had another trying morning
Should have know that only one message yesterday meant trouble was coming
Mums home help phoned to say he was very concerned about her. She was very confused about what day it was yesterday and what she was supposed to be doing, he checked for me and she isn't taking her meds and she confided in him that she hadn't been to the dentist appointment (she had told me she had) because she didn't know what it was for (regular check ups because she has awful teeth and she doesn't look after them, she was crap before the Alzheimer's), he phoned the GP to get them to talk to her but they didn't phone back before he needed to leave so doesn't know what happened with that.
She phoned him this morning leaving messages about when was he picking her up - he's not supposed to see her today and when he tried to phone back there was no answer.
I have spent all morning phoning to see if I could get hold of her or if somebody could finally my brother phoned back and says he's just spoken to her she's been in town all morning (which is unusual and not in her routine) he wanted me to book her a taxi for her afternoon class and said he'd try to go see he sometime this weekend (he lives an hour away rather than my 6hours) but told me to txt him the details and he would phone her because "it was easier" no idea why but he was insistent she's fine- I've booked a taxi and texted him.
I phoned her anyway as I wanted to know if she'd spoken to the GP, had a random conversation with her that made little sense about her sorting out the wrong medication (she doesn't have the wrong meds she just regularly thinks she does) - she said they were phoning her back tomorrow.
I thought this unlikely so phoned the GP, receptionist was lovely and said she would get the GP to phone me back later.
My brother seems to think nothing is wrong buts she's clearly more confused than usual and I'm worried about her wandering especially as it's so cold at the moment, combined with her not taking meds.
My brother is anti medicine and quite resistant to social care help / NHS, he hates the 'system' - so we don't exactly see eye to eye on what to do next.
Glad she's turned up but now just worried about what the next drama will be, she seems to be going downhill so regularly - hope the GP can help.
Going to need a strong drink by the end of the day!

pananny will GP not do a home visit?

ups and downs here today - slept til 10.30!! then mum not answering phone so went round - she didnt have hearing aid in. district nurses coming to do injections. waiting for date for fracture clinic and for another ct scan to establish whether or not there is a clot on her lung. meanwhile she is being treated as if she has, and also for chest infection and high blood pressure.

after lunchtime visit DD2 and I and the dog went to the pub for lunch!! now I need to get some work done... thank you for kind words and flowers, back at you all.

Thank you everyone. Yes he was referred to falls clinic through a+e. They said there is a very long waiting list. I dont think they have an indication of time. My mum was with him and was anxious and doesn't hear to well.
I cant get him to Dr before his appointment now as I work nights and they are over a 2 hour round trip that needs to fit within the school day. I have organised childcare or next week. I will chase falls clinic too. I am worried that it is something to do with blood flow. Heart or mini stroke that caused the black out that just isn't being investigated.

Hope your day is better Yolo

Do you have a life, Yolo? How are you managing?