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Elderly parents

Cutting ties with elderly dad

14 replies

PoplarTree21 · 07/10/2026 22:12

My elderly father has become insufferable. He was a terrible father growing up and we had a strained relationship. He was an abusive alcoholic and eventually separated from my mum when I was in my early teens and then finally stopped drinking many years later.
He is now old and infirm and lives alone after separating 12 years ago from his 3rd wife. He lives in sheltered accommodation which I arranged after being evicted from his rented private property due to it being hoarders paradise and the landlady having enough. I have been present in his life since his divorce and checked in on him periodically. Since moving into his sheltered accommodation a year ago he has declined and has a couple of falls and has become a lot more dependent on me. I have a brother who refuses to have anything to do with him due to childhood trauma and I absolutely understand this as I was there and received the same if not worse treatment. I very much resent my dad and feel like I have been burdened with his care.
He is currently having carers attending twice a day however he usually sends them away and is quite aggressive towards them.
He has sent messages to his ex wife threatening to unalive himself on many occasions and she then calls me to see to him. Today I went to see him with the doctor as he had a fall at the weekend and I was concerned with the gash on his head and he refused medical help. He is drinking again and tried to lie about it saying it wasn't his (no one else has been to his flat)
I find his drinking massively triggering for me and it has brought up a lot of childhood issues which I wasn't expecting. I am at my limit with him and am seriously considering cutting all ties. He is exceptionally manipulative and I very much dislike him. Am I being a terrible person cutting ties for my own mental well-being? Should I continue being present for him ?

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Yourcousinrachel · 08/10/2026 02:22

PoplarTree21 · 07/10/2026 23:36

I feel as though they will keep calling, my contact details are everywhere for everything to do with him. I'm fed up of people (SS, carers, doctors alarm call people) calling and asking me what I'm going to do......
The alarm people are the worst, he presses the alarm button all the time in the night for attention (no emergency) and they will then call me in the middle of the night to tell me he's activated his alarm 🙈 he's done it twice this week at 4am !

Well when he is pressing the alarm - whether its just for attention, or if its not justified, this is a big red flag he is lacking judgement and is not safe to be living alone and will need a care assessment, capacity assessment and likely safeguarded by being placed in a care home. (It would be more expensive for the local council to arrange a night time carer.) But this is all part of their professional duty of care.

If you have a power of attorney for health and welfare then you would still have to be involved in any best interest decision, but you haven't mentioned this, so I think its not applicable.

You do just need to step back, you are not obligated because you are the daughter to be involved in arranging his care or providing it. You can simply say I can no longer be involved in my dads care. My mental and physical health is suffering. I am not sleeping. My work is suffering. My children are suffering. I am no longer able to be the point of contact for my dad.

Op, I am so sorry this is such a burden on you. The pp above asked you to think about what would happen if you dropped dead..

You are being pulled at from all sides, with so many responsibilities. If you had a breakdown, you would end up in hospital or totally unfit to manage any of this, not your dad, not the calls, not your work, not your kids. How long might it take for you to recover......... Abuse distorts a childs sense of identity, duty and self worth, and those distortions don’t magically disappear in adulthood. We dont feel guilt out of love but from conditioning that made us feel responsible for the patent. Its not really true guilt, you havent harmed him, its that we've been programmed that way from the abuse.

Edited for typos

NoCommentingFromNowOn · 08/10/2026 00:54

PoplarTree21 · 07/10/2026 23:36

I feel as though they will keep calling, my contact details are everywhere for everything to do with him. I'm fed up of people (SS, carers, doctors alarm call people) calling and asking me what I'm going to do......
The alarm people are the worst, he presses the alarm button all the time in the night for attention (no emergency) and they will then call me in the middle of the night to tell me he's activated his alarm 🙈 he's done it twice this week at 4am !

Phone the obvious ones eg GP, alarm people, any other regulars, then just let the rest know as they call you. They will all manage, the same as if you dropped dead and didn’t answer your phone. (Sorry to be morbid but that’s the truth, these people would have to sort it without you.)

FetchezLaVache · 07/10/2026 23:51

The only argument you've given on the side of maintaining contact is the fact he's your father, but you concede he's a terrible one whom you resent.

Take a leaf out of your brother's book. Women are just as entitled as men to decide on a course of action favourable to them.

PoplarTree21 · 07/10/2026 23:36

Supersimkin7 · 07/10/2026 23:23

Be firm with SS. Very firm.

Once they’ve taken over you can choose whether or not to have a relationship with him that isn’t so pressured.

I feel as though they will keep calling, my contact details are everywhere for everything to do with him. I'm fed up of people (SS, carers, doctors alarm call people) calling and asking me what I'm going to do......
The alarm people are the worst, he presses the alarm button all the time in the night for attention (no emergency) and they will then call me in the middle of the night to tell me he's activated his alarm 🙈 he's done it twice this week at 4am !

OP posts:
Rhaidimiddim · 07/10/2026 23:27

Walk away.
He is in the system, let them deal with it.
All my love ans support.

Supersimkin7 · 07/10/2026 23:23

Be firm with SS. Very firm.

Once they’ve taken over you can choose whether or not to have a relationship with him that isn’t so pressured.

PoplarTree21 · 07/10/2026 23:19

Thelnebriati · 07/10/2026 22:58

You will feel awful for a while - its very typical for children of bad parents to feel guilty that they aren't looking after them; because you've spent your whole life putting his feelings first.
Everyone has their breaking point and you've reached yours. Look for the Stately Homes support threads, you'd be very welcome to join in.

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/relationships/5571390-august-2026-well-we-took-you-to-stately-homes

Thank you for this, the thread title made me smile because my parents really did take me to some god awful stately homes !

OP posts:
Thelnebriati · 07/10/2026 22:58

You will feel awful for a while - its very typical for children of bad parents to feel guilty that they aren't looking after them; because you've spent your whole life putting his feelings first.
Everyone has their breaking point and you've reached yours. Look for the Stately Homes support threads, you'd be very welcome to join in.

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/relationships/5571390-august-2026-well-we-took-you-to-stately-homes

August 2026 - Well we took you to Stately Homes | Mumsnet

I have started a new thread as the other one is now full.

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/relationships/5571390-august-2026-well-we-took-you-to-stately-homes

PoplarTree21 · 07/10/2026 22:41

Thank you for your responses and helping me navigate this incredibly difficult time. The guilt I have is insurmountable however I need to do this for me. I have 3 children a husband and a full time job too so these are all being impacted by this situation.
I have a scheduled carers review meeting tomorrow which I am meant to be attending in person with my dad at his flat however I will call the person and let her know I cannot attend due to the current circumstances.
I feel awful.

OP posts:
Glitchymn1 · 07/10/2026 22:25

No you aren’t a terrible person, but I would let adult social services know that you intend to step away in case he needs extra care.

CatchyRocksonSong · 07/10/2026 22:23

I have had a horrible father...I cut ties long ago. I also have sensitive health so cannot imagine dealing with illogical, rebellious, abusive old drunk who shouts at carers. In my world this is like: No way.

Newkicks · 07/10/2026 22:22

I've been no contact with both my parents for 2 years. My mother is a narc and my dad enables. I have zero regrets and have been working through my childhood trauma since. Its not easy. Its actually very painful, but my mental health is much better this way. My mother also started on my children so I had to break the cycle.

LovingLivingLife · 07/10/2026 22:21

You are not being a terrible person, you are a human being with limits. You have every right to step away and prioritize yourself. I can't think of a single reason why you would need to feel obligated to go out of your way to help him.

MaggieGlover · 07/10/2026 22:20

Oh op this is heartbreaking for you, You are clearly a lovely daughter and been placed in such an awful position. You have tried so hard to be there for him when in reality I think many others wouldn’t. Everyone has their limit and if you have reached yours I think it’s absolutely ok to give your self permission to step back. You have gone above and beyond and you need to look after yourself m-particularly if he is drinking again. I’m so sorry this is where you find yourself. It’s ok to step back.