What do I do when Mom refuses all help?

2 answers | Last updated: Aug 05, 2011
64px
Q
An anonymous caregiver asked...
more
 

50% helpful
shrinking said...

You can't have someone take advantage of you unless you let them do it--and clearly you are letting your mother take advantage of you, and enabling her to continue her See also:
My mother needs help but is unwilling to accept it. What should I do?

See all 474 questions about Common Family Conflicts
bad behavior. If you want her to change, then you have to change what you are doing--mainly you have to stop helping her.Your brothers are already doing that. When she realizes the predicament she is in without your help, perhaps she will treat you with more respect--I say perhaps, because it is highly unlikely that she will come around at this point, but you have to try to do some "tough love" and see. Don't be at her beck and call-claim that you are sick and you can't come for a while. Then see what she does.

If you get no change after leaving her to her own devices for a while, then the next step you must take is to enlist the help of adult protective services, or a geriatric care manager who can help figure out what to do for her. You also could try to get guardianship of her, if it can be proven that she is endangering her health by living in poor conditions, which from what you describe seems like a good case. I would seek out an elder law attorney and find out about guardianship--what that other lawyer told you was incorrect--he is not a psychiatrist and can not evaluate your mother's condition. She very well could be unable to take care of her affairs, and then you would be able to put her in a nursing home once you got guardianship of her, and there is little that she could do about it once the court is involved.

I am going through a similar problem right now with my mother so I know exactly what you are dealing with...I have thought long and hard, and I made up my mind that I will not put up with this situation any more, and no matter how bad I feel about it, the best place for her is in a facility where she can drive professionals crazy and leave me out of it. I still want to have some kind of life without this stress, and so should you. Don't put up with this--it will only get worse if you do. Good Luck.

Was this answer helpful?
 

More Answers
Dee Marie said...

Thank you, Shrinking, for your answer. Since this post, my Mom has been diagnosed with cancer and her neck vertebrae are deteriorating to the point that she is taking morphine for pain. She still insists on living alone and staying in her home. I hired a caregiver to take her out once a week for groceries, to the bank and to the library. I drive up every 2 -3 weeks to help her with whatever else she needs. She always has a long list of chores for me to do, mainly repairing things and cleaning. I get upset as I am up there washing her windows and I haven't done my own! I just tell myself that this is probably her last year and I need to do what I can for her. If I call her and she is extremely negative, to the point that she is depressing me, I make an excuse and get off the phone quickly. She is trying to be more considerate of my feelings, but I think it is due to my being the only child she has that sincerely wants to see her and help. She still refuses to hire a housekeeper, but the caregiver that comes in can also bathe her in the future if need be, etc. My husband's health continutes to deteriorate and I am just taking it one day at a time. I'm looking at a nursing home for my Mom, in case she falls and has to be admitted somewhere, but I know she won't go willingly, it will have to be an instance of 'no choice' for her. I had her buy her cemetary plot and I plan to make funeral arrangements in advance for her. I don't want to be devastated by her death and trying to cope with everything at once. My own health is suffering and I am trying to take time to do something I enjoy so as not to be so stressed. I had my kids spend a day with her, helping her with things recently. It will probably be the last time they spend time with her like that. She has alienated her other grandchildren. I'm keeping a journal so I don't do this to my kids! Good luck with your situation. I just keep saying I am lucky to still have her, even if it is tough some days.

Was this answer helpful?
 

 
Ask a question Ask a question | Add an answer Add an answer