My father is an enabler. Can I compel my father to compel my mother to see a doctor? He is not suffering from any medical condition which affects his decision making or thinking. He is sharp and functions well in all areas. He pleads with her but this technique is fruitless. He means well, but thinks that an alcohol detox would be too painful for her after a lifetime of daily heavy drinking.
The responsibility for both of then will fall to me in a few years.
I agree with SAhirls1945. I would seek help to deal with being the child of an alcoholic. It's stressful. They can provide you with ways to cope better.
I am a recovering alcoholic and have been sober for twenty years and it was hard but there is always a part of one who knows there is a problem even in a mind fuzzy with booze. Yet there really is a difference between alcoholics and heavy drinkers. You may want to join a group called Alanon which is for the loved ones of alcoholics and get some support.
You can make a plea to your dad to make a plea to your mom to see a Dr. for a physical but if she refuses there's nothing either of you can do. You can't force her to go. If there's going to be any kind of change it will probably take some kind of crisis to bring it about and even then your mom's first priority will always be the bottle.
If your mom does suffer some sort of physical health crisis make sure her Dr. knows that she is an alcoholic so he can treat her for potential alcohol withdrawl. Also keep in mind that while your dad isn't an alcoholic he suffers from your mom's alcoholism as well and has his own illness as a result.