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Has anyone got any sage advice about my Grandpa's situation?

16 replies

NoIHaventChangedMyName · 11/01/2008 21:44

Bit of a long story. My Grandpa is a lovely, niave old (in his 80's now) man. My Grandma dies suddenly about 10 years ago.

After her death my grandpa was very depressed. He started attending spiritualist churches and there met a woman who claimed to be a medium. She claimed that she was in contact with my grandma and that she was happy for her to move in with my grandad. It was then we knew for certain that she was talking bullshit.

Fast forward about 8/9 years. They have been to spain and moved back. They moved to the area where all of her 'friends' were and none of grandpa's family. The moved back last year. Now none of her friends are there/ have moved/don't visit/have died.

I shall call this woman W. W's health has apparently deteriorated. She has insisted on having home oxygen. Yet she always answers the phone. If you can't breath you can barely talk. She can hold a full conversation. Not someone in my experience who really requires home oxygen. She has become completely bed bound, with no real reason for being so. She has pressure sores. She has to be got out of bed and walked to the toilet. Her diet can only be pureed - again no reason for this.

Grandpa cannot leave the house. She will not allow him. She has an alarm system - she could be toileted prior to him leaving - no. none of that. One dog has had to be given up, a dog walker has had to be employed for the other dog. Grandpa basically has no life for a woman who has never been anymore than a friend. He is demanded upon with no thanks day and night. He has become very depressed.

Social services have become involved and W has now gone for a short time to respite which everyone who knows her knows will not work, trying to encourage her to do things normally again. Grandpa, meanwhile is looking at renting a flat near where my mum lives - he has had enough and wants to get away. She is aware of his wish and has been begging him not to and threatening all sorts of things to try and stop him.

As much as I have never been keen on this lady I can't help feeling going away behind her back to try and find alternative accomodation while she is 'indisposed' is simply not fair. They have a joint tenancy on their current accomadation - if Grandpa breaks this tenancy what will happen. Will this mean W will not be able to return? Obviously if she does she will have to foot the bill for the whole house.

I really do want my grandpa to break free from this, he has only years left, and at the moment he has no quality of life. If it were the other way round she would not be taking care of him. However, I believe as do as you would be done and I don't feel this is a fair way of doing it. Social services need to be informed too - but grandpa is reluctant to do so.

What do you all think? I've waffled so I'm not entirely sure this all makes sense.

OP posts:
NoIHaventChangedMyName · 11/01/2008 22:00

bump?

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fingerwoman · 11/01/2008 22:07

is it a mortgage theyt have or is it rented?

tbh, if she is that ill then she needs to be in a care home anyway

fingerwoman · 11/01/2008 22:07

sorry, that sounds blase. I don't mean that anyone in her situation should be in a home. but in this case, with no-one to look after her then that's what she would need

NoIHaventChangedMyName · 11/01/2008 22:11

no it is a joint tenancy. not blase. The thing is - most people don't seem to believe she is that ill - her lungs aren't actually that bad )according to CT scan) - there is no real reason why she needs any of the things she seems to need iyswim. She just seems very embittered.

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fingerwoman · 11/01/2008 22:15

it isn't fair for him to have to live like this. I think the only thing he can do is be honest with her that he can't do it.
he can tell her he is going to move out and maybe help her sort stuff out with regard to where she is going to live etc etc, contact social services.
I think as long as he gives her a bit of notice about when he'll leave then it's fine.

TheYoungVisiter · 11/01/2008 22:17

I sympathise but I think your job is to look after your grandad, not this other woman.

If I were in your family's shoes I would find a place for your grandad near your mum and then pay the rent for the shared house upfront for a decent length of time - say 6 months if you can afford it. That should give this woman enough time to make alternative arrangements. As fingerwoman says, if she's truly that incapacitated she needs residential care.

NoIHaventChangedMyName · 11/01/2008 22:17

i think he is hoping to sign up for a place, well nowish really!

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TheYoungVisiter · 11/01/2008 22:26

not sure if we cross posted or if that was a response to my post...?

If it was a response, I meant he should move out now but maybe someone from your family could continue to pay his half of this woman's rent for a few months, to give her time to sort herself out and find a new place.

Maybe this isn't a financial option though...

NoIHaventChangedMyName · 11/01/2008 22:28

not a financial option for us, and I doubt for my mum or aunty either really. My mum has just taken early retirement and at the moment especially is now quite skint till state pension kicks in! The thing is - she couldn't be there alone apparently as she is now.

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fingerwoman · 11/01/2008 22:31

tbh I think she is a case for social services. your grandpa could call them and tell them everything and they can help her.

NoIHaventChangedMyName · 12/01/2008 14:05

I think SS have now been filled in on the situation. They too have pointed out that it is her home too. Grandpa really liked the shelter accom we've found for him though - he's hoping to put a deposit down on Monday. Only thing being he ended up saying to W that she could also move down - which bearing in mind this is a one bed flat and they don't share bedrooms means it's not really doable. Her care needs are very different to his and the two can't really mix without Grandpa left doing the vast majority.

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Hecate · 12/01/2008 14:15

I think he should just get out, get a place of his own and let social services deal with this woman. It sounds like she had totally manipulated him at a vulnerable time in his life and now is being so unreasonable and odd that I wonder if she actually has mental health problems.

However, re oxygen...does she actually GET it? Because surely doctors don't just let you have it? and it's not like you can buy it yourself at the chemists, is it? You can insist all you like, they don't just turn round and say, well, you don't need it, but if you insist, then ok..........If you have it, it is because there is a medical need for it, surely? I know last year there was some discussion about my having oxygen at home and they decided against it because they told me they really really really prefer to not let you, if there is any way at all you can manage without it. So I just think it would be really odd if the doctor prescribed oxygen she didn't need, just because she wanted it.

But your grandad needs to leave and put her behind him, imo.

NoIHaventChangedMyName · 12/01/2008 15:11

Aha, you haven't met this woman!! She gets short of breath on the way back from the loo. Refuses to do deep breathing. The oxygen was given, reluctantly by a locum dr who was bullied into it. My mum tried to get her to manage without it while she stayed recently. W was straight on the phone to her GP complaining that mum wasn't letting her use it!

That clear up about how manipulative she is?

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Hecate · 12/01/2008 17:06

Well, what is stopping him from getting out if he wants to? Her words? What can she actually do? Nothing. Anyone is free at any time to leave a situation they are unhappy with. (Except prison....they frown on that! )

She only has the power he is giving her.

NoIHaventChangedMyName · 12/01/2008 17:17

yup. and his a big old softy sap! and she is using all sorts of manipulation and guilt tripping on him.

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cece · 12/01/2008 17:17

Surely he can give notice on their current house and then move into the sheltered housing. SS will have to look after W if she is that ill.

I think yo need to look out for your Grandpa.

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