Always is when I go away for the weekend with my family...
You can guarantee when I come back he's "been ill". EVERY TIME. So I phoned him - first sentence "I've been ill". Like its my fault because I went away!
STILL not taking all his medication that the GP gave him so I offer ZERO sympathy. Basically, wants me to tell him how he can feel better - "Take the meds the GP has given you Dad, if that fails then go an see you're GP but I'm not a doctor."
His words - "I desperately need you to visit the weekend." "I've got no food in the house" (Brother lives literally 5 mins drive from him - I live 35-40 mins. Brother is probably laying low). Anyway, he knows my car is in the garage so I'm struggling for transport and he knows my wife works weekends so may need our other car. So I tell him I can't promise. Anyone would have thought I'd told him I'd murdered the family next door.
Apparently, I'm "letting him down" and "need to arrange something", and "wife needs to understand". Of course the standby offer of home delivery groceries is not good enough - he doesn't want to spend the £30 minimum - they have to be hand delivered by me!
I've tried setting boundaries, I've said no can do, I've tried ignoring, I've tried just not doing. Give him his due he's relentless in his quest to get me to do what he wants!
I tried to explain to the GP quite strongly last time and was told basically to leave it alone because in their opinion he was of perfectly sound mind and I could not make decisions for him.
Wifes got a mercedes with parking assist. Thats scary to use. You press a button and it reverses and steers into parking space for you. It does it FAST so we're scared to use it lol.
Your father did not remember on the Saturday a conversation you had with him the day before.
He makes repetitive phone calls, leaving messages each time, apparently without being aware of the last one.
He wet himself in the car.
He does not know how to use an ATM.
He is continuously, to the point of obsessively, anxious without cause.
The thing is, if you ring up the GP and tell him what a hard time your father gives you, how sympathetic would you expect the GP to be? It's a question of reporting your concerns for your father's welfare, not of reporting complaints about your father's behaviour.
Why would their opinion over the last twelve months necessarily mean they will hold the same opinion now in the light of new information? Has your father suddenly got younger? Would you expect him to be healthier than he was when you last spoke to them?
Do you in your heart of hearts *agree* that your father would be safer, healthier and happier in residential care?
When you spoke to your father and reminded him that you had told him on Friday that you would not visit him over the weekend, and he responded that oh yes, he knew that, he had remembered that but he thought you might have changed your mind, that was an *excuse.*
And you are accepting that he had remembered the conversation.
But he hadn't, had he.
Think about it.
In any of the messages he left while you were lying upstairs ill, did he say "I hope you've changed your mind about not visiting"?
People who are good guessers can conceal for years that they have gone stone deaf.
People who have well-ingrained routines and habits and modes of speech can continue those long after they have ceased to apply any cognitive input to them.
You are looking for the "tells" and they are there a-plenty.
Everyone who knew my mom thought she was " sharp as a tack", too. The new geriatrics doc who saw her realized in one visit that the anxiety she had was connected to cognitive loss. The neuropsych testing showed a significant loss of IQ points.
Outsiders can see what folks up close don't.
Good point about did he remember. Just checked my phone messages - 1st message "I know you said you weren't coming but....". Also, he said he'd been trying to speak to me (I said sorry I was actually in bed ill) and he said he'd phoned quite a few times then gave up leaving messages.
The ATM thing - hes NEVER been able/willing to use one even when he was 40.
His anxiousness - hes always been like this to a certain extent.
I totally agree with you - he would be MUCH happier in a home. I tried to enlist his GP in this conversation too, and they basically said, yes its difficult, but unfortunately, hes in full control mentally and theres nothing you can do even if everyone else around can see how good an idea it is. Get it all the time.
I've tried to discuss with him - he wont entertain the idea. If I mention it he basically has a meltdown now. "After all I've done for you, you're trying to pack me off to rot in a home". Of course, its not like that but hes got an idea is head about what care homes are like and nothing will change his mind.
I'm a bit stuck for now.
I tried to get him to agree to power of attorney recently. Not that I'd force him into anything but Im just planning ahead. He read all the notes then said "No point I don't need that. No way am I signing it. I'm OK as I am".
Or, you can see it as completely off the hook. Totally lets you out of jail. But then *stay* out of jail, keep out of it altogether, and see how long the GP sticks to that opinion.
You're actually trying to pack him off to avoid rotting in a home. Rotting in a home is what he is doing at the moment.
CM is right; you're NOT stuck; you do NOT have to visit on his schedule and you d@mn will are not taking him into your home when he has a fall/stroke/heart attack.
On the POA issue "fine dad, when you're lying in your own $h*t and can't talk, I won't be able to speak for you. Have it your way."
If your dad won’t go to a facility. I know someone who have refused because they were in fairly good health, just very old and their son hired a private caregiver. That’s very expensive to do it that way! Don’t know if your dad would be willing. I wouldn’t use your money though. You have a family and need money for yourselves.
Maybe as a temporary measure he could hire someone.
You could ask at the facility when is a good time for him to visit. Some plan visits at lunch time and he could meet others and socialize with them. Take care and best of luck to you. Senior citizens can be stubborn.
Get a second opinion on medical concerns. I’ve done that to validate medical conditions.
Spoke to Dad the other night who's saying I "have to" visit this weekend because I didn't last weekend. Thats Dad for you.
To be honest, it can't be helped after all, Im not about to bust a gut getting there making myself worse just to visit (I've been stupid enough to do that with work this week).
Also, this is a nasty virus. Its stopped me dead and I'm in good health. My wife, who has asthma ended up in A&E with it having as asthma attack. I really wouldnt want my Dad to get this - it'd kill him.
You are already compiling a list of excuses that your Dad will go to town on.
I'm not very well.
My wife's not very well.
I wouldn't want you to catch this bug, it's really nasty.
Well, you tell me how much fun he'll have knocking those down one at a time. You'll be on the phone for hours, altogether, all week long, tangoing with him about whether or not you're going to visit.
Or, you say no. Vary the theme if you get bored
No.
No I'm not going to visit.
I'm not doing it.
Ask someone else.
No.
Cope.
Wear it.
Sod off.
Whatever pleases you. But Do Not Discuss your reasons.
Have you ever hung up on him?
That isn't passive aggressive. That is necessary with some callers. I know an elderly lady that I stopped taking her calls. Every single time she called, she asked about my mom, which is nice but not once did she ever ask about how I was. Then the comment that really got to me was how lucky I was to still have my mom and have her living with me She never once said how lucky my mom was to have me care for her.. Yes, I love mom but it is a tough job! It gets worse, she said she took care of her mom but her mom died many years ago. She wasn't my age caring for her mom. Her mom lived in her own home still. When I cared for mom in her own home it was a lot different. It's not full time. It's still exhausting! However, this is harder.
So, yeah I had to say to her that I couldn't talk and hang up. Now I don't answer her calls. She and her daughter ran into me in the supermarket and said how she missed talking to me. I did not respond. She made me depressed, annoyed by her stupid comments constantly. I feel relieved that I don't speak to her. She was toxic. She constantly asked me to do things for her as well. I have enough caring for mom. She would get mad when I told her I could not take her shopping. Her daughter works and she doesn't like having to wait till the weekend. I have told her over and over that I am not going to leave my 93 year old mom alone to take her shopping. I started out politely telling now, after awhile it really worked on my nerves. I was the last person in our group that helped her. Others ignored her long before I did.
If it were me, and he starts demanding you do X, y, z then do the opposite. Start screening calls.
Im not surprised that you are sick. All that stress due to constant manipulation. Time to hire a caregiver even if just for a few hrs.
This is an 89 yr old throwing a 4 yr old tantrum. Adults should not give in to tantrums of a four yr old or 89 yr old.
Perhaps you should see a therapist, (couple of visits not yrs) or talk with the wife about why he can manipulate you so easily. Is this recent or has it always been like that?
You need work out strategies to deflect and not give in. Have wife screen the calls so he cant get to you as often and upset you.
You have to watch your stress levels and blood pressure/health. That is your body's way of telling you it is too much. You know he is unreasonable. Baby steps you will get there.
My grandmother in law should have been an actress. My gosh, she good turn the tears off and on in a sec. My poor MIL. She was lovely. Felt sorry that she had to listen to all that crap.
Keep your wife on your side for whenever you say No.
Change your phone number, if necessary, or programme a special ringtone so that you know when your dad is phoning and not to pick up.
This sounds heartless, but the best resistance to emotional blackmail is not to take any part in it. When your father no longer has you as his audience, he will latch on to somebody else. I have a feeling your wife would not object to this.
This got to the point where one time he even brought the police to the house, upsetting the kids, because I wouldn't answer the phone again!
So, yes, NO is a complete sentence. Refusing to answer the phone is an option (most of us still live in free countries!) Refusing to respond/engage in nonsense is another option. Meet accusations and pleading/demanding with silence. Let him get all bent out of shape - but don't let it get to you. His behavior won't change yours if you don't let it. Set a day/time frame for your visits and stick to it as best you can (obviously your own illness, family illness or emergencies override any "plan" and he doesn't have to know the details - just say something came up, we'll have to reschedule, I'll get back to you on that...)
Ask for "placing" him or hiring in-home care, this isn't likely to work, at least not yet. Certainly prepare by exploring what options are available, but until he is deemed incompetent, you won't be able to move him or force him to let others in (if he won't allow food delivery to come in, he isn't likely to allow care-givers to come in.) Despite already starting down the dementia path, the in-home one hour (minimum) check, mainly to be sure mom took her meds from a timed dispenser AND a simple daily check on her didn't last more than a few months - she refused to let them in them. Options then was move in with one of us (was NOT going to be me and would have been a disaster if one of the bros) or a facility. Our attorney told us, even with Dx AND DPOA we could not drag her out of the house. For our situation we had to get "creative", but again, until he is deemed incompetent, there really is no way to force the move/in-home care.
Check this out:
https://www.agingcare.com/discussions/a-positive-side-effect-of-my-stepping-away-from-fathers-caregiving-448463.htm?orderby=oldest
If that doesn't work, click the search button at the top right and enter
"A positive side effect of my stepping away" in the search window.
OP Miranova's dad is only disabled, no dementia, etc. Her post and some of the comments might provide some inspiration for others!
Someone even posted a comment about how sometimes when we suggest boundaries, halting enabling behavior or even stepping away completely, some people see that as heartless. Read through this thread and the comments. Sometimes these ARE the best things one can do!
Bit of peace and quiet needed NOT Dads drama. So he phones me and finds out I'm ill. I can't speak lost my voice, but still he insisted on calling every 6 hours or so, asking what the GP said, have I phoned worked, what am I taking, when am I going back to GP etc. In the end I said "Dad I need rest, please, I'll call you in a day or two!.
Did he listen. Nope. Come sunday I'd had enough. I couldn't have a sleep without him calling to wake me up for a status update. So I ignored my mobile, home phone.
Then I started to get facebook messages from brother, facebook calls. Nasty messages saying "why was I ignoring Dad?" "He was worried about me and I needed to reassure him". Good enabler for Dad my brother is.
This is less than 24 hours after I'd last spoken to him though.
In the end, Paul being ill at home did not constitute a national emergency and the air force search and rescue were not called out but I think if Dad had had his way.....
I'm glad you FINALLY ignored his calls, although you really should have done that after one call telling you were sick and would call him in 2 days.
Keep your word. Don't call until the 2 days are up even if you feel better before then. Ignore your enabler brother, too.
Keep practicing ignoring his calls. You'll get better at it.
Good job Paul. Have a good rest and get better soon.
You’re a wonderful hubby. Glad it’s a privilege for you. Not everyone can deal with it like you can. We are not all the same. We all have strengths and weaknesses.
Laying the phone down and walking away is a fantastic idea!
It amazed me that after less than 24 hours he felt I was not allowed any space at all and it was my duty to keep in touch with him regardless. Like I said it was LESS than 24 hours and it all went off.
Like I said, he'd contacted my brother to tell him how hurt he was that I wasn't answering his calls. Roped him into trying to "track me down". Really peed off that between the pair of them they think it necessary to bully like this to get their own way.
I honestly think if I ever decided to go "off the grid" for more than a day or god forbid cut any contact he would do something like call the police to contact me.
Best of all - spoke to Dad last night. "Hope you're ok to do my shopping next weekend". Yeh bottom line here.