Follow
Share

My 80 year old mom moved in with me & my hubby after my dad died because she was afraid to be alone. In fact when dad was in his last few weeks of living she constantly asked, "what about me".  Instead of helping me & my brother take care of my dad, she would isolate herself and take sedatives and was always being extra needy or mad.  Since I knew how mentally incapable she was to take care of herself, after dad passed I took her and gave her everything anyone could ever want - a nice home with her own bedrooms connecting with her own bathroom, no bills to pay, a housekeeper, nice car (she has very limited driving - just church & sr center routes, which took forever to teach her).  She has a nice tv, nice clothes, I took her to movies, on vacation & out to eat every week and she still was never happy. She will cuss you out one minute and act all sweet the next. She can go into rants that are bizarre.  She not only stares but whistles ALL the time. She wants 24/7 entertainment & attention - which I can't do because I work - I have a husband and grandchildren and need time to myself occasionally. So i stopped trying to make her happy - or think it was my responsibility to make her happy. So now she stays mad all the time (no change), constantly complains, never picks up after herself, never has to cook, just complains & spies on me.  She gets things out of my room when I'm not home - so I started locking bedroom doors - boy that really pissed her off, but I ignored her and just keep doing what I have to so I can have a little privacy.  Ugh.  I set up & take her to all her doc apps, eye appts, everything  but there is no pleasing this woman.  But when I think back to when I was growing up she was the same - lived in a pig sty, was hateful and been pretty much crazy her whole life.  Never did anything for others just to be nice. Not even me or my brother. I don't remember having a birthday, Christmas, nothing. I never even realized it was unusual to be ignored & i was conditioned to think I was always bad no matter how hard I tried to please her.  Dad was a farmer and since we lived on a farm I tried to stay out of the house as much as possible.  I really think I must have been adopted & nobody told me. LoL. My Kids & Grandkids, and any extended family avoids her to this day. My husband said she'll outlive us all. Sometimes I wish i could put her away but I don't have the heart. So I'm learning to just ignore her and come & go as I need to without having to answer to her. She knows how to text me during the day if she needs something & she knows where I am (at home) every evening, but I don't try to spend time with her anymore. Now I spend more time on me. But I gotta admit its hard not letting her play the guilt game.  She sneaks around in the dark sometimes and watches us when were hanging out - its creepy.  If we go out back in the evening and try to relax on the patio or visit with neighbors, she'll turn all the lights off and lock the doors.  It's like I love her because I have to & I'll make sure she's always taken care of but I really don't like spending time with her. I avoid her & just like when I was a child, I stay outdoors in the garden, work late - anything to avoid being in my own home. I really miss having my home to myself & wish there was a better solution.

This question has been closed for answers. Ask a New Question.

25 Answers

Most
Helpful Newest
First Oldest
First
ramoore, too bad you didn't remember how rotten she was as a loving mother BEFORE you took her in. Oh well.... there should be NO guilt if you were to tell her ' mom, this isn't working with you living here. It's time we made other arrangements'. Then do it. I believe, as long as a parent is 'taken care of' in some manner, a person should be guilt free. Being 'taken care of' DOES NOT necessarily mean having to take that parent in to live with the son/daughter, unless it's gonna work for that son/daughter. It's not logical that after 40+ years away from home, an adult son or daughter would think that living under the same roof would just naturally work out.
Helpful Answer (10)
Report
You are a good daughter and are doing the very best that anyone could do. It sounds as if your mother has a form of dementia that is causing much of the negativity you are wxperiencing. She is also likely suffering from grief and depression. I would suggest a psychological/psychiatric evaluation and a complete physical as well. For yourself, check into the work of Byron Katie. It wll help you deal with her negativity and might even help her. She has a free on-line site and her cd's are available through Amazon and other sites.
Helpful Answer (6)
Report
I agree with what the others have said. I have similar problems with my own mother, and when she started hinting about living closer to where my family lives, I firmly said, "No, Mom, that would not work out." Your husband is right; she may outlive both of you, and you have to concentrate on your own family. I would start shopping now for an independent/assisted living facility and tell her to pick one. After the way she treated you as a child, you don't "owe" her anything. As long as she is taken care of, gets meals, and is in a safe place, you have done your "duty" as a daughter. Also, where's your brother in all this? Is he helping at all? If not, ask him, even if he does not live close; it's his mother, too! BTW, I strong armed my mother and lobbied heavily for the retirement home where she is now. It wasn't easy, but she is "happier" than she has even been there, IMO.
Helpful Answer (6)
Report
If she weren't your mother, you'd have nothing to do with her. You've managed to analyze the situation yourself, and you've seen that people are validating your analysis. Like me, for some reason, you are OVER-fulfilling your duty as a daughter. In analyzing my own situation, I've come to the conclusion that just because my own mother was somewhat unkind -- but not irresponsible -- in her motherly duties, that doesn't mean that I have to be the same; and I'm giving her what I never had. I guess that deep down I expect her to see it, but I'm being unrealistic -- and I'm guessing that's what's going on with you, too. You will NEVER be able to change her. She cannot be happy because she expects everyone else to provide her happiness. When my father died, the first words out of my mother's mouth were, "What's going to happen to me?" Well, he didn't make her happy, either, but suddenly, she expected someone else to pick up where he left off, so that she had someone else to take responsibility for everything that went wrong. She bore no responsibility for anything. She is now also 80. I made sure that she was placed in the best nursing home available -- where she refused to participate in ANY of the wonderful things that are available to her, because she knows what's best for her, according to her. It's that attitude that put her in a nursing home on oxygen 24/7 -- eating poorly and smoking like a chimney all her life. Of course, she insists that that had nothing to do with anything because other people smoked all their lives and never ended up on oxygen or in a nursing home. I handle all of her finances -- with a sister who refuses to help with anything except to try to find fault with how I'm handling things. You have every reason, as do I, not to be particularly concerned about whether or not your mother is happy, because there is NOTHING you could do or say or provide for her that will make her happy. I'm there, too. Our mothers have an "is-that-all-there-is" attitude because they have failed to participate in their own lives -- that would have meant accountability. Give yourself an A+. You're a great daughter. Make yourself happy. You've gone above and beyond.
Helpful Answer (7)
Report
i sent my Dad a QT and it brought a huge smile to his face!!!
Helpful Answer (0)
Report
Are we related? This is so close to my own situation it is scary. We have been going through the same thing for the past year. We finally took the "leap" and moved Mother into Assisted Living. She was never happy before and we could do nothing right - now that she is in Assisted Living - she complains to them and they are equiped to help her. We still visit daily as it is only 2 blocks from our home. You just have to tell yourself that you can let go of the guilt. She still tries to make us feel guilty - she gets so angry when we have answers for everything! My heart goes out to you - Just know that you can do what it takes to make your life easier where she is concerned! We looked at it this way - we were tired and exhausted from doing everything for her and she wasn't happy with us, she should be somewhere that she can socialize and be with people her own age. We no longer have to worry about her safety and wandering around the house all hours of the day and night. Good luck and huge hugs! No more guilt - let it go!
Helpful Answer (6)
Report
What a wonderful daughter you are - but it sounds like it is at the point where "you" need a little space, because no matter what you do, she isn't happy. Her world has changed, too. She no longer has a husband to talk to, she knows that this is "her" life now, she is trying to salvage any independence she can get with her mind going in all directions because she is not at peace. Your mom is now in your home & it sounds like it's time to have a Geriatric Doctor do a full assessment on her. And what other entertainment does she have, except to spy on you & complain all the while.
I'm in a little different situation where my husband is in denial his mom needs more care than I can give & I'm burned out being her primary caregiver now for a year. She does not like me & feels I am not good enough for her son. She is like a child, tattling every change she gets. I blame it on watching too many soap operas, lol. This is my 2nd marriage, married now 9 yrs., while most of these years this MIL lived in Florida on her own, very independently. She is driving us all crazy with her rants, rummaging threw my drawers in bedroom (claiming I stole her underware??) but she just like to snoop so we also have a lock on our bedroom door now. She snoops everywhere, nothing is sacred - except she had mobility issues being walker bound, otherwise I bet she would be going through every box we have in the basement. She steals things and hides them in her room, denies taking them. She lies to family members, that I don't fix her meals and she is starving (so I started taking photo, send as a text with date and short info), she has given my dogs things they should not eat (doesn't like them either) and my list can go on and on. The scariest thing I am trying to deal with, is her stealing of my kitchen knives!! I first found her carrying one in her walker, and she is a fall risk since she loses her balance easily. So I took it away, then hiding them under a cabinet. She found them one day snooping and took another one. I found it hidden in the bedroom, so I put them up higher. That darn woman found a way to get to them again, so now every single knife is locked up in my bedroom! Creepy and scary. I only tell you this because it seems your mother is going to follow in the same path I currently am in. Hugs to you & there is no rule book you that says you can't have a life & your mission is to entertain and keep your mom happy. You are doing much more that satisfying her physical needs - pat yourself on the back, smile, and go have some fun with that husband of yours. Spoil those grandbabies, too. How is your husband handling all of this? Is he supportive of you?
Helpful Answer (3)
Report
OhioGal08....Please be careful! The part of your post that scared me was when you said your MIL kept stealing knives. Hopefully, she isn't mentally deranged so much that she could harm someone in your household, or even your dogs. Has she been evaluated medically (and mentally!) recently? If not, I would get her to a professional soon. And keep anything that could be used as a weapon under lock and key if you have to. Be safe....that's the most important thing!
Helpful Answer (3)
Report
Labbydog, We go back to the Geriatric doctor on Friday morning. Her last visit was in April where I know my husband did not tell all the facts about this woman. I am the one who knows her the most since I am the 24/7 caregiver. I AM SCARED of this woman, because she blames me for losing her independence. Yes, all knives are in a locked room and guess what? Just found out she has one of my butter knives now. I asked her why do you need a knife? She gets mad saying none of my business. But I know I should not be asking questions because an alzheimer's patient doesn't know how to answer back at times, and if they can't give an answer, they give a reply such as in attack mode. Like I got - none of your business. When I asked the counselor over this, he tried to ease my fears saying, maybe she liked to cook, really enjoyed cooking so this knife brings a reminder to this. I would rather her carry a spatula than a knife, NO KNIFE!!! I don't care. Am I wrong?
Helpful Answer (0)
Report
You ask why you feel guilty. "Why" questions are always difficult. My guess is that you were programmed since childhood to have unrealistic self-expectations, and that you are a decent person with a strong conscience.

I am glad to see that you are able to see the situation clearly in spite of the irrational guilt and that you are taking steps to protect yourself. Good for you. You may never be able to entirely shake off the guilt feelings, but at least you are not allowing them to cripple you.

You don't have the heart to "put her away." Well my goodness, of course not! That sounds like something you would do for a terminally ill pet. Finding suitable housing for a parent is NOT putting them away. Think about the posts you have read on here where someone found/arranged good care for their loved one outside of their own home. Do you accuse all those posters of "putting away" their loved one? I don't know what you've been programmed to think along those lines, but I think a reassessment and an attitude adjustment are in order.

You wish there was a better solution. You didn't ask, but there is a better solution. Continue to take care of your mother (I don't think you could overcome your conscience enough not to) but NOT IN YOUR HOME.

I think you are doing as well as you can to minimize the unhappy-mother toxins in your environment. If Mother were 94 and in ill health, it might work OK to just keep doin' what you are doin'. But do you really want to "get by" this way for another 20 years? Do you want to be forced to stay outside of your own home for decades? Your childhood was not your time to live freely. You are not able to now. Are you willing to postpone that until your own energy levels and health may be obstacles?

"I am not responsible for my mother's happiness," is a huge truth you have learned. I think since you've mastered that the next one won't be impossible for you: "I am not obligated to include my mother in my own household."

You are strong and smart. I predict that you can come up with a better solution than the present situation.

Good luck!
Helpful Answer (6)
Report
Ramoore - please read the thread "how do I deal with a narcissistic mother".
You cannot blame her behaviour on dementia or alzheimer's if she has been this way all her life.
Trishrtrish - exactly the same for me - exactly. Mine started in her late 60's by chewing and complaining that I "wouldn't drive" and with "what will happen to me when I take sick"? She had put herself on a waiting list for a NH in her town but the wait time was 2- 7 YEARS!!
I also get no input from a sibling and that is a huge mistake I made when I took her in to live with us.......I should've insisted that he help pay ME for her care, and tried to make her pay a reasonable rent but she bullied me with "If I have to pay the same amount as the rent for my apartment to live in your house then I'm not coming". I should have said GOOD! Don't.........
This is a perfect example of a narcissist who called me one day and said "I should just take an overdose.....nobody cares that I'm sick all the time". You can only cry wolf so many times!!
She also orchestrated hospital visit after hospital visit and put on an academy award performance of acting dehydrated one time to get everybody to rush out to her town so she could be taken to hospital (wouldn't pay for a taxi or the ambulance).
One time in my house my daughters were over visiting her. Suddenly she sat down in the chair and "fainted". She closed her eyes and pretended to be unconscious. She wouldn't talk or open her eyes, just sat there until my one daughter called 911 and they took her to the hospital. Of course there was absolutely nothing wrong with her, she just wanted to create drama around herself and they sent her home that night.
Be prepared for lies, tricks, snooping, manipulation, stories of all kinds, a possible report on you for "elder abuse", comments to her friends by her about the horrible treatment she is receiving, criticism and total nastiness.
DO NOT allow a parasite like this into your home. You will be "mortgaging" yourself, you will allow her to kill your spirit, infect your family with evil and negativity and say goodbye to any prior family life and privacy you may have had.
I'm sure you have heard the saying "if you give them an inch.........." well, these people will go to the ends of the earth to keep it about themselves and it will ALWAYS be about them. Never underestimate them. They will always be ten steps ahead of you.
I wish you good luck and strength - you will need an abundance of both.
Helpful Answer (6)
Report
why is is said "narcisstistic " behavior ..
what is this exactly.
Helpful Answer (0)
Report
My Mother exhibits strange behavior also. Very nosy, screens my phone calls ect.. The weirdest thing she does is get on the other line when I am talking on the phone. She does this very sneakily but I can always tell when she is on the line. So very annoying. I think that I can maybe make it 6 more months and then she is going to assisted living. Cannot say that I did not give it a good try - I have been living with her for nearly a year now - but truly assisted living can take care of her better than me. They also are used to the critical comments and do not take it personally like I do at times. Now I do a lot of what you do, avoid spending too much time with her.
Helpful Answer (2)
Report
Yes, you did give it a try.It is your choice.
And they do no take critical comments hard as we do.
As she is adjusts to her assisted living then you can Visit.
&then if something happens you can be an Understanding within yourself
that You know it is better for the both of you now.
It's not easy; yet, I Hope i helped.I am new to this..&tho worked in a Facility such as this..I just had not thot it would be happening to me either. So You
Hang in There. All will be Okay.God Bless.
"Miss Francis"
Helpful Answer (0)
Report
Oh my, the "what about me" guilt trip. Boy have I heard that one. Mom is still independent, living in her home of 60 years, drives, no health problems, has money, is a widow for five years. And she has NEVER been happy, never.

My oldest daughter was married over two years ago in Boston. My brother couldn't get my healthy mother to fly up with him and his family to attend the wedding. He was paying for the ticket and holding her hand the entire way. She just "wasn't able" (her excuse for the last 10 years). Would not go. So my brother and his family left without her. She exclaimed to her neighbor, who passed the comment to me, "What about me!!!!" She expected my brother to not go to the wedding because she might need him. And she shops daily, TJ Maxx, Ross's, Belk's (at the big mall 17 miles away) But she is just not able to do one thing she doesn't want to.

She is doesn't ever want to talk about the future (she is 82) and refuses to tell me anything about her business. When I recently discussed the fact that she did not have living will and it would be nice if she thought about getting one, she didn't want to discuss it. Her comment was, "I just want you to call me every day and try and make me happy." I told her that was not my job.

Some of our parents are just impossible. Geezzzzzzzzz
Helpful Answer (6)
Report
Wow. maybe our mothers are related, lol. i had my mom move in with me after we found out she had pancreatic cancer. i was devastated and was truly concerned for her as she was widowed and living alone in a different state. She moved in and LOVES it here, but i feel I have no life. I too had recently moved to SC, no friends, no network for support, no where to turn. I did get a job (in a skilled care facility!!!!! I LOVE working with the elderly....) but my Mom is a different story! She is sooo negative, it drives me crazy. She likes to be attached to my hip. She is 2 years past a whipple procedure and is cancer free. She gave up driving and likes to be waited on. She does do a little around the house...she likes to do laundry (I don't do it right) and empties the dishwasher (because nobody else does it ...). She refuses to think about assisted living because she doesn't want to be around those old people and she wants to live with me forever. It is so hard. My son lost his job and had to move home, my husband likes my mom but avoids her now because she is soooo negative. I share your guilt of wanting to help ones mom. I feel we would both have a better relationship if she lived somewhere else and I visited her.She does nothing all day but read and watch TV. At a facility she would have great activities. She is a very healthy 82. I know she will out live me. I guiltily feel she is stealing my family life from my own family. I appreciate others sharing their experience...guilt is a tough thing to deal with.
Helpful Answer (1)
Report
CyndyS, it is not fair that your mother living with you is making you feel like she is stealing your family life from you. Is there an independent/assisted living facility near you? Your mother sounds like she would be a good candidate for the independent part. My mother, too, gave me the excuse that she did not want to be around all those old people with walkers and wheelchairs. But I finally convinced her to try it at age 95, and, really, even though she complains about the place, she is doing fine there. Eats meals with other people, takes the van to the shopping center, etc. If you found a place near you, you could tell her you'd visit frequently. Find a place and have them have you and your mother over for lunch; once she sees the place, she may warm up to the idea. Good luck to you.
Helpful Answer (1)
Report
I am amazed that there are so many posts on here about narcissistic mothers. My mom is the same way, but in a retirement place a couple of miles away. I got some good advice from someone on here about walking away when my mom starts in on the negativity..It sounds like it is time for you to find a place for your mom and spend time with her when she "chooses" to be positive...I wrote my mom a letter telling her that I will not spend time with her if she is going to be nasty to me or my son, and since then she has been very civil to me, "on the phone" and is looking forward to me visiting her this week. Set up boundaries with your mom and try and find her a place and get her out of your house before it affects your safety or your relationships with your immediate family. You deserve to have a positive and happy life, even if she chooses not to be!..good luck!
Helpful Answer (3)
Report
Y'all are awesome. Thank you so much for listening to my story and giving advice and sharing your stories. I have a better idea what my next steps will entail. First a full Geriactic evaluation and a psychological evaluation. Then we start matching up assisted living programs & care givers who can help me get my home back in order. No more guilt trips. No more pity parties. It will feel like freedom reborn - I get happy just thinking about it. This will be so much better because it won't be about me not wanting mom in my home - it will be all about mom getting what she deserves (in her mind) and that will be 24/7 attention from people who "care" - even if they are paid to care - she won't know the diff.
This may sound ugly - ut the first thing on my list when she re-locates and moves out is to completely gut the bedrooms and bathroom she's been using. Carpet - gone. New toilet, new mattress, fresh paint, total rooms make over & no more horrible smells.
Helpful Answer (2)
Report
Go girl!! Enjoy your freedom, and your new project. Best of luck :o)
Helpful Answer (0)
Report
Start documenting the things she is doing. Get a small calender book and just make a few notes daily or several times a week on anything she says or does that is disruptive, mean, hateful, paranoid, etc. After you have gathered about a month of data, call Adult Protective Services and tell them you are concerned and cannot manage her at home. She needs to be admitted on a 5150 psychiatric hold for a complete mental and physical health evaluation. Insist that you are unable to deal with her behavior because you do not have the expertise and she needs professional help. She is a danger to herself and to others, including the pets.This is a true statement, so don't allow yourself to feel guilty. She needs to be somewhere people are trained to deal with her behavior and she as well as others can be protected from her irrational beliefs and actions. When she goes to the hospital on a 5150 hold, tell the Social Services department that she will NOT be returning to your home and they will have to find an appropriate placement for her. Tell them you have to keep everything locked up, you don't sleep well because you don't know what she will do, and you simply cannot manage her. DO NOT ALLOW HER TO RETURN. They will place her somewhere. With appropriate medication and behavioral therapy, she may improve so that you can all enjoy her company and visit her. You have to realize the effects upon yourself and the rest of the family are simply not good ones and the example you are setting by allowing someone with her mental or behavioral problems to remain to cause all of you misery is not good. It is far better to realize that you simply can not give her the expert care and supervision she needs. And it is not your job! That is why those of us who work in this field have to be trained and licensed. Shift your thinking to "giving her the care and treatment she needs" and the process will be easier. You certainly would not try to treat her ruptured appendix or prescribe medication for her diabetes, or operate on a brain tumor. Mental health and behavioral issues are no different. You are not supposed to be experts in doing this and heaven knows , you have tried. It is time to think of the impact on the rest of the family and yourselves. If you had the same problems she has, and were making your children and grandchildren miserable; wouldn't you want to be settled somewhere where your care could be managed so that your own family would not grow to hate you and wish you would hurry up and die?
Helpful Answer (1)
Report
My mom is 83 and lives by herself. She has moderate dementia/Alzheimer's Disease. I am trying to help her live in her house as long as she can before she has to go to an Assisted Living Facility. I am her primary caregiver, and her Power of Attorney. She goes to Adult Day Services 5 days a week. I am co-owner of the house, but I don't live close to her. My brother doesn't help with anything. He has his own family and a child with special with needs. He uses the excuse that he has a child with special needs and that takes all his time. He is trying to make me feel guilty because I don't move in with her. My mom has her moments when she gets confused and she doesn't remember when friends or her parents past away. Then my brother wants me to either move in with her send her to assisted living right now. This is very stressful. I have RA, so it isn't easy to just move into my mom's house right now, because I live very close to work. I don't want to drive from Superior Wisconsin to Duluth, Minnesota every night until my arthritis is under control. I am also feeling very fatigued. I would like my mom to get more help with a nurse coming with home care. I haven't had any luck with her social worker to get more help.
Helpful Answer (0)
Report
It would be nice if you and your brother could respect each other and work together on what is best for mother, Pumpkin69. Caring for a special needs child is not an "excuse" -- it is a legitimate reason. Moving in with mother is not an obligation, and he should stop trying to make you feel guilty. Can you two call a truce?

Is your mother on the Elderly Waiver program? (Is that how the day program is being paid?) The social worker should be doing regular assessments. If Mom is getting worse, ask for a new assessment. Be sure to answer all questions candidly. My husband's social worker asked for an assessment for in-home help and the insurance assessment person told me it was amazing how many clients claimed, yes they could handle their bathroom needs on their own, and yes they could get their own meals, etc. etc. and then were surprised that they get turned down. Be sure you are there when your mother is assessed and that the answers are accurate and not just prideful thinking.

Also ask the social worker for a frank opinion about whether mother is still able to live alone. Ask the folks at the day program what they think -- they have gotten to know her well. It is sometimes hard for family members to be objective. I, too, would want Mother to remain at home as long as she safely can, but figuring out when that is can be tough. Many persons with moderate dementia really can't live on their own.
Helpful Answer (0)
Report
Been there, done that - still doing it occassionally. We are only responsible to be sure that they have a place to live, are well cared for, and well fed. It was really hard for me to accept this. Mother is and never has been truly happy with anything for very long. It is not our "job" to try to make them happy. Our parents are truly responsible for their own happiness just as we are responsible for ours. As I have said many times on this site to others - at some point we have to make the decision that is in our and our parents best interest! You matter in this too! Best of Luck and you will be in my thoughts!
Helpful Answer (3)
Report
Pumpkin69- Jeanne is right. If you can work out a truce with your brother, maybe together you can come up with a solution. Aknowledge that having a special needs child is certainly a valid reason to not live with mom. At the same time, your RA is also a reason for you. The long commute would not be physically good for you. However, the stress you are under now is not good either. I have had RA for 20 years. Does your brother understand what RA is? Most people think of it as the elderly woman on the commercial who can't get going in the morning without her aspirin. RA is totally different. Yes, it affects your joints. But if it's not controlled, it can affect you heart and lungs. That's serious. It will be very hard to get it under control while you are so stressed. It might be nice to keep your mom in her home as long as possible, but it shouldn't be at your expense. You need help now.
Helpful Answer (1)
Report
This question has been closed for answers. Ask a New Question.

Recent Questions


Popular Questions


Related Questions

Ask a Question
Subscribe to
Our Newsletter