Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Elderly parents

Trying to see the way forward

11 replies

PermanentTemporary · 12/07/2020 00:30

I've often been on this board and am still reading but I'm really struggling with my mum's situation and could do with thinking it through.

Root of the problem may be I'm still behaving as if my mum is the woman she used to be.

Mum is 85 and lives alone in a flat in a small development with a warden in the centre of a village. She has lived there 2 years and hates it - wrong area (fair as she lived in the far south and this is the Cotswolds), too many people nearby, too dark (fair), no garden (it does have a garden but at the front so less private). She wants to move. She is becoming very forgetful and i think likely has early dementia though it may just be minor impairment. We three children have financial POA.

It is becoming obvious now that if she ever does move, she will need significant support to do so. She has officially sold the flat, but sometimes forgets who she has sold it through. She has more viewers coming next week. Sometimes she decides to pull out of the sale but doesn't inform the estate agent, then carries on.

She doesn't know where she wants to move to. Either near her sister, near her boyfriend (who is married and shielding with his wife) or near the sea. These are all 100 miles away. Priorities change every time she talks about it. She hasn't been to look at any places though will describe things she has seen online.

My sister is determined she should stay where she is. My brother is moderately neutral but defers to us as he lives in another country so can't share the burden, though he calls without fail three times a week. I think she has a right to try and be happier, but am very daunted at the idea of trying to help her move- it almost killed us all last time - i was only recently widowed with a grieving son and it was so tough. I'm working and getting time off is like hen's teeth, plus my son is still a teenager - the idea of a week away to help her look at places isn't much fun and would be a logistical nightmare. Maybe I need to do it though.

She refused the idea of a GP appointment for her mood and memory. I wrote to them but there's been no response i know about (not expecting one to me).

I think I shrink from trying to use any persuasive power to get her to stay where she is. I hate that she's unhappy and feel it's my/our fault. I dont know what to do for the best.

OP posts:
PermanentTemporary · 12/07/2020 09:54

Bump

OP posts:
Rinsefirst · 12/07/2020 13:10

. I think she has a right to try and be happier, but am very daunted at the idea of trying to help her move- it almost killed us all last time - i was only recently widowed with a grieving son and it was so tough. I'm working and getting time off is like hen's teeth, plus my son is still a teenager -

Why would you prioritise your mum’s life over your teenage son and your own again?

Fall into line with your sister and don’t enable your DM. Flowers

RandomMess · 12/07/2020 13:18

I don't think your Mum will be happier she will just find different things to be unhappy about...

Warmer20Days · 12/07/2020 13:19

Can you put some benches in the existing front garden for the residents to share ?

Is your DM able to go for walks, mobility scooter, bus out herself locally ?

Grow some plants on windowsill in her home

Moving sounds such a drastic change. When perhaps she just needs a few small changes

Warmer20Days · 12/07/2020 13:22

There is a big difference between looking online at property & seeing it in person
Beware

Knotaknitter · 12/07/2020 15:11

She hasn't asked you for help with moving and she hasn't decided where she wants to move to. Keep your head down and let her get on with it. If she hasn't a clue where she wants to move to then she won't be moving. If she's messing the estate agent about that's not your problem.

You can't decide for her where she wants to live, if she can't decide that for herself then she's not ready to move.

Ilikewinter · 12/07/2020 16:10

I agree I dont think shes moving anywhere and agree with your sister.
Has she actually sold the flat or does she talk like she has?, who put the house up for sale, was it your mum?.
I think id be strongly encouraging her to stay where she is, moving 100 miles away isnt going to be practical, especially as shes likely to be needing more care in the near future.

PermanentTemporary · 12/07/2020 20:12

These are really helpful thank you.

I spent the afternoon with her to try and cheer her up - think I need to proritise that to encourage her to remember the benefit of me being within reach! It was nice having good chat and we had a lovely walk together.

It's an incredible relief not to be told I should be taking her round lots of houses. I felt guilty I'm not helping her. But also worried about what will happen if she does try and move.

OP posts:
S0upertrooper · 12/07/2020 21:15

OP you say you have POA, does this include welfare? Your Mum doesn't sound like she has capacity to make such a huge decision, could you have a mental capacity test done? If you have full POA you should be able to discuss her welfare with the GP.
She may be restless having spent several months isolated and she thinks the solution is to move. I think it has messed with a lot of folks heads.
I'm a bit 😳 at her having a married boyfriend at 85!!! 😆

PermanentTemporary · 12/07/2020 22:41

No, we don't have welfare POA. But she has thank goodness agreed to let me go with her to the doctor's this week, and even to make the appointment for her!! Yes I'm worrying that she is vulnerable. She has some tests a couple of weeks ago but can't remember if she was given full results, and was waiting for the GP to contact her.... I doubt it's that serious but would like her to know. I'm more interested in trying to get the GP do do a MOCA and consider a memory clinic referral.

The lockdown has of course made things worse. I thought she was depressed during it and of course that can affect memory too.

OP posts:
PermanentTemporary · 12/07/2020 22:42

Sorry to bring up the married boyfriend...! It's just to indicate that she is both missing her partner and unable to see him.

OP posts:
New posts on this thread. Refresh page