Bonbask,
It is hard...Our relationships with the people that we care for whether it be parents or grandparents goes from them being the strong ones and caring for us to us being the strong ones and caring for them..
I describe taking care of my grandmother as at 1st she was a grandmother, sometimes like a mother than also at times a friend but a good portion of the time I was her mother..
All of the things I did as a mother for my children I eventually had to do for my grandmother...I had to bath her, clean her bottom, feed her, help her get dressed and even wipe her nose..
Its hard on both the caretaker and the person being cared for to get used to these role changes..
You need to find a way to rid yourself of the guilt of wanting time alone...When our children were small and we needed time alone we didn't feel guilty about it and its the same with the people we are caretakers for..
I took care of my grandmother for 21 years and it became my normal..
My advice would be that if your dad is able to stay alone for short periods of time, take advantage of making time for yourself because a time could come when he can't be left alone and finding time to be alone will become more difficult..
My grandmother passed away and I was the only one (as usual) by her side and I felt privileged to be with her in her last moments..I miss her horribly now because she was such a huge part of my life for so long that I wondered what my purpose was after her death..
You are a very special person to take this responsibilty on and somehow I know that your dad feels that way about you too..
He will understand if you need some time alone..Maybe you could have a heart to heart and try to set up a time every week that is just for you..
If he is anything at all like my grandmother he will get used to that and it will become part of a routine for both of you..
