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Elderly parents

FIL again

30 replies

countrygirl99 · 21/05/2021 07:59

Sorry this us long, just need to rant. I've written about my stubborn FIL before. He is 83 and main carer for MIL who is severely disabled following a stroke. He has become quite frail now, falls frequently and the slightest bug knocks him for six. MIL really needs to go back into a home but he won't have it and has a tantrum whenever anyone tries to discuss a long term plan that isn't a DIL giving up work to look.aftrr them (not going to happen). Since MIL came home he has been telling her SS will provide a 24 hour live in carer if anything happens to him which he knows is a lie. He knows we know but refuses to talk to anyone who says so for a week or so. So that's going to be fun when the crunch comes, likely very soon.
The last year has been quite rough for the whole family. Several family members have taken a big income hit due to covid. 1 of DHs brothers had an accident that he was lucky to survive and is still recovering, the other is off work following a nasty liver infection. My parents are older and have their own major health issues, including dementia. DH has given up several days work recently to take his dad for hospital treatment.
Yesterday morning DH spoke to his dad who said he was in pain and asked DH what painkillers he could take. Moaned that the suggested paracetamol/ibuprofen wouldn't be good enough and huffed when DH said in that case he would need to speak to his GP. No idea what he expected DH to do, come running I guess. Last night, while DH and DS1 were out collecting some second hand furniture DH got a call from the carers "your dad is ill, he won't go to hospital unless someone sits with your mum, what are you going to do". So he told them he can't help, he is out helping someone else and has a diabetes check himself first thing in the morning. In the end an elderly aunt went round and paramedics came and checked him over. It turns out he has been self medicating with immodium for the last 10 days as diarrhoea is a side effect of his treatment. He just had self inflicted constipation! God knows what would have happened if he had needed to be admitted, likely he would have refused.
DH has reached his limit with him and us now trying being tough with him instead of dropping everything and running over every time. We are an hour away so ok in a real emergency/planned visits but it's just too much now.

OP posts:
countrygirl99 · 21/05/2021 15:44

MIL has capacity. The big problem is FIL has spent the last 4 years lying to her that SS have promised 24 hour live in care at home. They haven't, we have checked. He has been told multiple times by SS that it isn't going to happen but he still tells her it will. It's going to come as a massive shock.

OP posts:
PremierSmeage · 21/05/2021 15:40

Does MIL still have capacity?

What would she want if FIL was not able to care for her? Would she accept a home?

countrygirl99 · 21/05/2021 15:32

They have 4 carer visits a day and as long as he isn't having a bad day they get by. But he is burning the candle at both ends, is old and frail and it can't last much longer. He gets exhausted and depressed very frequently and that's making his health deteriorate. Soon it's going to be a proper crisis that we really are going to have to drop everything for. MIL needs someone around 24/7 and currently the only backup is DH and SIL2 (he hates SIL1 with a vengeance and it's mutual). All FIL cares about is MIL not going into a home. Literally nothing else matters to him.
DH & SIL2 are both self employed and SIL2 is a beautician so has only just been able to return to work. She wasn't even eligible for the self employed grant so BIL2 and SIL2 are skint. SS have told him that they can't make MIL go into a home but 4 visits is the maximum they will pay for. She is paralysed, incontinent and unable to talk, read or write. She is completely dependent on other people for absolutely everything. She can't even get herself a glass of water or move her wheelchair.
He is currently not speaking to DH as he didn't go round last night. DH had his long delayed diabetic review first thing this morning and his blood pressure was worryingly high (I wonder why). Today he has alsobeen at clients he rescheduled so he could take his dad to hospital appointments.

OP posts:
PremierSmeage · 21/05/2021 15:16

Should she even be at home op? Is she safe enough with FIL?

MereDintofPandiculation · 21/05/2021 14:25

OH, countrygirl that does sound a difficult situation! But it seems your DH is now taking the right stance.

If MIL is severely disabled, has she had a Social Services assessment of needs? And has FIL had an assessment of his needs as a carer? I'm thinking of a relative of mine who cares for a severely disabled adult dependent. He gets an allowance of respite care and an allowance of "sit with" care, nowhere near enough, but enough to call upon if he has a medical appointment.

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