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Elderly parents

Elderly parents taking no responsbility for themselves

55 replies

happywriter · 13/05/2021 10:11

I have posted before on this forum. I am at the end of my tether with my parents denial in old age and things are gettiing slowly worse. I don't know where to turn anymore and it is affecting my own mental health dealing with it Sad

They are in their early 80s and living in the house they've been in for the last 40 years which is a semi detached and no downstairs loo and nowhere near any amenities. There is also a neighbour dispute spanning the past 30 years so I can't for the life of me work out why they stay there. To cut a long story short, it isn't accessible for my dad who has terrible mobility and toilet issues. They keep shopping in the car boot as they can't carry shopping bags up the path! Confused

My dad still drives and to be fair, his physical driving does seem ok, however it is obvious his driving days are coming to an end soon given his age and other abilities. When he stops driving he will be housebound. This is another story for another time but their answer to that is for me to step in and drive them around even though I don't drive and have 3 young kids, 2 with ASD. I will certainly help them out when I can but they have isolated themselves.

My mum is a narcissist and doesn't like being told no, I get guilt tripped and digged at constantly about this. She threw a total wobbler when I told her I am not driving. My parents won't pay for taxis and for appointments they don't want nhs transport because 'the neighbours will see it' Hmm . Very much Hyacinth Bouquet style, what must people think. Any time the car is in garage for MOT or breaks down she goes crazy and can hardly cope. It is embarrassing. I dread the day he stops driving. My dad is so passive and is controlled by my mum, he is like a little boy and does everything she says.

My mum whines 24/7 about 'how hard life is', she can't handle getting workmen, gardeners (when they aren't mowing the lawn themselves with one at each end of mower handle Hmm ), moans constantly about the noise from the neighbours. I often come off the phone to her wanting to burst into tears. I actually can't carry on like this for much longer.

They are in the habit of blaming outside factors for everything. It is the council's fault that the bus stops are too far apart, if they get lost they claim road signs have been moved (when they've not), lockdown is to blame for my dad's senior moments, etc. These are only a few examples, it is unbeleivable the things they come out with. Anything except face up to things.

Recently my dad has also been having many what my mum would describe as 'senior moments'. However I have suspicions there is more to it, however my mum will never admit it so that's another struggle I potentially have on my hands Sad.

I am so stressed and frustrated with them, and just want to tell them to take repsonsibility for themselves and stop moaning. I actually think they sometimes enjoy the drama.

OP posts:
fluffy71 · 19/05/2021 18:38

@doodleZ1 I should clarify it’s a 60 mile round trip, not each way but never the less, as of today I’ve decided to cut it down to once a week. (Felt guilted into two trips as only 2 out of 4 of my siblings will have anything to do with him). Only a trip once a week at weekend when my toddler is with DH and I’m not stressed out with ringing call centres for my him whilst stopping my little one put his hands, or knock over the bowl of phlegm my dad regularly spits bodily into, next to his armchair🤮 I kid you not!!

leftout1 · 24/05/2021 09:33

So as Charlie says, put those boundaries in, don't always be available to answer calls

This isn't easy though! Every time my phone rings, I feel I have to answer in case my Dad is lying on the floor after a fall!

aiwblam · 24/05/2021 09:48

leftout1, FIL has a neck pendant worn at all times - if they fall, they can press that and just speak. There are speakers in the house so the operator of the system can speak directly to the person who has fallen. It's a subscription services, though doesn't cost that much (can't remember how much).

aiwblam · 24/05/2021 09:49

OP- I'd not pick up their calls. Or say sorry, I can't talk now as I have...whatever...to deal with. This only gets worse and we have found that unfortunately the only way is to let them deal with the consequences themselves.

SatNightFever · 24/05/2021 12:44

Sorry to read such difficult situations; it’s frustrating that it doesn’t have to be that way.
Why do they act so? My theories fwiw:

  • they come from a generation where ‘getting someone in’ wasn’t a thing. You did your own repairs etc. Taxis were a luxury . Elder care was done by DDs and DILs.
  • like the rest of us, they cant believe their actual age. They genuinely feel mentally about 55 for ever. ( I still feel 22 , and you can double that).
  • we of the sandwich generation are used to looking after children, so it’s our default response to leap in and try to sort things out for everybody .
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