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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Inappropriate elderly dad

42 replies

ThisRareRubyPoet · 30/04/2025 00:10

Forgive me for long post but need to get off chest my dad always been quite lewd, he’s 78. Long sad story short my lovely mum had cancer and died late last year, obviously leaving me my sister and dad devastated. He now lives alone with limited mobility.
start of story is when my mum was alive and unwell he one day told me I looked nice in the (thin) jumper I was wearing, I felt uncomfortable and went into the kitchen and he shuffled in and followed me and tried to touch my boobs and I shot round and told him to get off me and obviously felt absolutely shocked. A little while after he came up behind me and touched my bum and I shouted at him. All thoughts running through my mind and one of them to go and tell me mum but then sensibly realised I could never do that.
my sister lives a long way away and occasionally comes up to visit and take over any care my dad gets from (reduced work hours to help him before this) and I cannot remember how we got on the subject but she said after a lot of difficulty that when she was last up she was bending over dusting and he said she would give him a hard on (that was difficult to write and for her to say) she walked out. I then told her what he had done to me and we didn’t really know what to do anyway the straw that broke the camels back was one evening just as I was leaving after cooking his dinner etc (I live 2 mins round the corner) he asked me how he could watch adult tv. I was stupidly confused and said you can watch adult tv it’s on now thinking he meant normal tv and he said 2 or 3 times no I mean pornography. I throw the controls down and walked out and proceeded to drive to other end of country to stay with my sister after writing him a 4 page letter telling him what we thought of him. He has never apologised but my sister (who’s tougher than me) called him but he said it was cocky bravado and was stupid).
he has never apologised and I went back to looking after him but keeping my distance.
my sister has visited and one afternoon when we were both there he was whispering in his bedroom and I said to her I don’t know what he’s whispering about I think he sits in there and swears and moans about everything and doesn’t want to do it in front of us he does it every evening after having a shower. She crept up to the doorway and then came back and said I think he talks to mums photo and came and sat down. He was none the wiser but then he started again and I heard him saying along the lines (I couldn’t hear exactly) but (here we go deep breath again) that he fantasises about us with no clothes on or me but definitely something along those lines. I had that punch in the gut feeling and just sat there and didn’t say anything. To her as she was leaving from there for the long drive home. I did message her and told her what I had heard and she said she will have it out with him or write him a letter and to not go there. I told my husband who is fuming.
that’s another thing since my mum died he hates my husband and would be more than happy if he never saw him struggles to say hello to him etc and my husband has now said wants nothing to do with him.
i truly believe the reason he hates my husband is because he hates the thought of me having a husband I mentioned this thought a while ago to my sister but it went by the wayside and we thought oh maybe not that’s dramatic and a bit weird to think he thinks that way . My sister when last visiting called him out on it aand asked why he was so off with my husband and my dad said we have nothing in common and have nothing to talk about(rubbish you can find something talk about for 10 mins) .
before all of this I admittedly spent too much time at my dads as I felt sorry for him and he loved it and kept saying my friends keep saying you remind them of mum etc etc and other close to the mark comments. He’s always made me feel uncomfortable and the thing that is driving me insane is I still feel sorry for him but also he makes me feel sick. I would love to not go there but he cannot look after himself well technically he can ….
I feel without having to sickeningly stand outside his bedroom door again and listen precisely to what he’s saying to himself everyday I cannot call him out on it and I don’t want it to become a witch-hunt. At the same time I feel like he sits in his room and talks to himself about it cause he can’t control himself and that makes me want to run a mile . He was always a bully to my mum and controlling but can cry at the drop of a hat etc etc .The last thing is and I’m sure people will think I’m being over the top he has a little dog we bought my mum as a puppy a. Couple of weeks before she was diagnosed and I idolise her as she reminds me of my mum and also she is lovely . If I was to take her from him (he cannot walk her) I do that twice a day I fear he would consider doing something to himself as he has cried before and said she’s all he has left etc etc.
he does not have dementia btw he is fully with it apart from his mobility so that’s not the reason he’s being a gross person. Please be mindful I know it’s really easy to say just walk away but I am not finding it that easy and things are never that simple although I wish they were.
Any similar stories or advice as to what I should do

OP posts:
rwalker · 30/04/2025 07:57

ive got experience of dealing frontal temporal dementia
all there nasty traits they’ve always had and reined in become there normal behaviour
they become very disinhibited , sexualised and inappropriate
swear like troopers even though the never swore and were always very respectful

what makes it even harder is people just judge as dirty old pervs and 100% refuse to believe it’s part of an illness which makes managing and dealing with even harder

PicaK · 30/04/2025 07:59

Hugs and flowers. That sounds horrible to go through. 💐
I think it's the first stage of decline because it's just so out there and grim. You can barely write about it. It's all hidden away in his room but you unveil it to us and as one people are saying dementia. All armchair diagnostics but really get adult social care for an assessment and the GP involved.

ThisRareRubyPoet · 02/05/2025 09:22

Thank you everyone for the advice makes me feel less alone . He started the perverted whispering in the armchair yesterday whilst I could hear him in the kitchen so I have left and I am not going back. My sister called him and he said he didn’t know what she was talking about he hasn’t said anything - he kept telling her to repeat what he’s supposedly saying and she refused. His friend visited yesterday (who we trust and have told) whilst I was leaving and I managed to speak to him outside (he’s known my dad for 60 years) he said he has made comments about me to him previously about my body and he stopped him in his tracks and said you cannot think like that and apparently my dad never brought it up again. He said he thinks he’s not right but also thinks a lot an act . I forgot to mention my dad has this relentless cough , literally all the time like trying to clear his throat, there is nothing medically wrong but thought it may be him trying suppress something or has absolutely nothing to do with anything my sister is going to sort stuff out from where she lives as I physically and mentally cannot do it anymore yesterday was the last straw

OP posts:
Mallor · 02/05/2025 09:32

Commonsenseisnotsocommon · 30/04/2025 03:45

Very distressing to read so can only imagine how you must be feeling. I'd be getting (male) carers in and only (sparingly) popping in when they are there. Don't put your physical or mental welfare at risk any more. It sounds like you're grappling with sense of duty in looking after him vs protecting yourself but your own safety MUST be the priority, every single time. I'd also seek input from a therapist, the emotional side of this must be very complex and as he declines and passes away one day prep work in dealing with it now may help.

This ^
how truly awful for you, I’m so sorry you and your sister have been going through this

nomas · 02/05/2025 09:38

His friend visited yesterday …he said he has made comments about me to him previously about my body and he stopped him in his tracks and said you cannot think like that and apparently my dad never brought it up again.

How funny that he isn’t cognitively impaired when a man tells him not to talk like that, yet when your sister repeatedly tells him not to, he ignores her and continues that behaviour.

That suggests he isn’t getting dementia, he’s a sexist, predatory fool who thinks women are beneath him and thinks his old age gives him the excuse to abuse you both.

Have you approached social services / his GP for help? If they can get carers for him then you can stop going there, or only go there rarely.

I know you shouldn’t have to, but could your DH also read your father the riot act and that any further abuse of you will not be tolerated? As your father seems to only listen to men 😡

ThisRareRubyPoet · 02/05/2025 09:43

Mmm yes if my life depended on guessing if dementia etc or just him I would say just him. I have discussed this with my husband who my dad hates for absolutely no reason other than he is married to me and weirdly jealous of that. I have told my husband not to as he is angry and tbh there is no reason for him to as I feel if ANYONE goes there he will think we are weak and still will fall back into looking after him. My sister is sorting carers but bear in mind the only health issue he has is he has spinal stenosis and had major back surgery in Feb which hasn’t helped at all but apart from that he can look after himself he can’t cook but he won’t starve

OP posts:
SaladSandwichesForTea · 02/05/2025 09:44

I know you say its not dementia but this is a marked change in behaviour and warrants some kind of assessment.

What sort of dad was he when you were young?

In either case, if you feel the relationship is becoming too difficult and won't improve then it is perfectly OK to end contact and remember him as the man he was and try to salvage that memory.

Continuing down this path doesn't appear to be benefitting you or your sister.

ThisRareRubyPoet · 02/05/2025 09:45

Added note I know that sounds really mean but he won’t starve he has enough money to ask someone to get food and he’s more than capable of washing etc the only thing he cannot do is walk the dog but I am not doing that until he decides to give her to us I am not making that decision for him I have done too much already

OP posts:
nomas · 02/05/2025 09:47

Was he creepy when you were young, OP? He may not have touched you inappropriately but did you feel uncomfortable around him?

ThisRareRubyPoet · 02/05/2025 09:48

Always been a bully treated my mum like shit she waited on him hand and foot. Always had moods suffered with depression over the years. Always been lewd thinks he’s better than anyone . Quite intelligent but I’ve never been close to him just my mum but even as a kid I used to think or wish she would leave him

OP posts:
ThisRareRubyPoet · 02/05/2025 09:49

Yes !

OP posts:
thepariscrimefiles · 02/05/2025 09:50

SaladSandwichesForTea · 02/05/2025 09:44

I know you say its not dementia but this is a marked change in behaviour and warrants some kind of assessment.

What sort of dad was he when you were young?

In either case, if you feel the relationship is becoming too difficult and won't improve then it is perfectly OK to end contact and remember him as the man he was and try to salvage that memory.

Continuing down this path doesn't appear to be benefitting you or your sister.

TBH it sounds like the 'man he was' was always perverted, inappropriate and horrible. OP has said that this is what he is like, irrespective of whether he now has dementia making him even worse.

ThisRareRubyPoet · 02/05/2025 09:51

Yes I totally agree

OP posts:
Notknots · 02/05/2025 09:58

The reason you're feeling so conflicted, where you don't want to be around him but also feel sorry for him, is because you've been conditioned all your life to put him above your own needs.

You're ignoring your own instincts and sense of physical and emotional safety for the sake of his physical and emotional safety.

You've been trained to our his needs above your own, and it's taking something so extreme as potential sexual abuse to break through the fog.

ThisRareRubyPoet · 02/05/2025 10:01

Yea I agree totally thank you I think if I didn’t have my sister or husband I would still, sadly be going there and it’s very difficult as like I said he only lives round the corner but today is the start of a new start for me hopefully and I can get a life back x

OP posts:
Berlinlover · 02/05/2025 10:07

My father was like this after a brain haemorrhage at 34. I’d come home from school and he would be watching hardcore porn videos in the living room. Horrendous.

fruitandvegoverload · 02/05/2025 10:08

Please go and get the dog and then don't go back. Free yourself from feeling obligated to someone who has never been a good husband or father.

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