I'll try not to write an essay here.
My DM is 80 and rapidly declining physically and mentally. She had a stroke 3 years ago and while she made a reasonably good recovery she refused to do almost all of the OT and PT she was entitled to. She also refused all carers or a cleaning because she insists DF - who is 76 - can look after her.
I live a 7 hour flight away and have a baby and a 4 year old and work full time, so I can only get back a couple of times a year to see them although we FaceTime once a week and are in regular contact.
We just got back from a visit and DM is declining rapidly cognitively and physically. She repeats herself a lot and seems to have lost all context of time. She can't use her phone and her eyesight is deteriorating and she can't see. She's also obsessing over minor things - there was a certain magazine she wanted and she harangued DF and I ceaselessly until we got her a copy. Actually screaming at DF when he couldn't find it in the supermarket,
Always a bit of a pack rat, she's now tipped into full-blown hoarding of newspapers and magazines, but any kind of paper specifically. There are just piles and piles of newspaper everywhere. I opened a drawer in my childhood bedroom and found it stuffed with newspapers. It's incredibly unsafe.
I don't know what to do. I spoke to DF and he says he won't throw out anything because she'll get upset and obsess about it for months, but it's unsustainable.
Is there anyone I can speak to? Their GP? I'm very worried.