Feeling burned out with a baby on the way. Is it time to pay for caregiving?
I agreed to help my aging grandmother nearly 2 years ago. I cannot continue to care for her. My husband and I are young and are ready to live our lives for us. I am currently 12 weeks pregnant and my grandmother has become a mean and bitter woman, She brings me to tears nearly every single day. I often ask her to walk away, or I choose to walk away myself when she turns on me. I am becoming angrier every day when she starts lecturing me. She has told me to color my hair- so my husband will feel like he's with another woman, or to put my face on before I run to walmart. My husband is my only support, other members of the family try to support me when I am on edge, however they have no idea the constant stress I'm under. My husband and I decided we will be moving out of state, though I've never had a child we tried for a long time for this one and the stress cannot be good. Funny as I read this it's more like I am trying to justify my decision... I just can't do it anymore, and I don't have to. I will have a home health aide come in to check on her as she is aware, I only wish she could see through my eyes how difficult living here has been.
Expert Answer
How wonderful of you to have taken the time out of your life to care for your grandmother. What a shame that you are unable to enjoy that time, and to have a warm and loving relationship. However, you should be proud of yourself that you have done the caregiving for so long. It is now time to seek professional help. Call in a geriatric care manager so he/she can assess the situation, and help with future plans.