New here, young adult child looking for connection and support

amy212

Hi,
I’m 33 years old and my 74 year old mom was recently diagnosed, although we’ve seen it for the last couple years. I live in California and she lives in Ohio with my dad. I also have an older sister that lives a few hours away from my parents. Mom and I have been really close and talk on the phone every day on my drive to/from work. I’ve been processing a lot in therapy, but just looking for connection with other young adult children that are going through a similar experience.

FamilyForever

I have a similar situation, where I suspected Alzheimer’s for a couple of years but the suggestions were not taken well since the doctor said my father was fine. Now there is a diagnosis and acceptance of it by my parents, so we hope to help them to navigate this. We are just starting down the road, so I don’t really have advise to offer except that I too am not by my parents and I am hoping to be their support system still.

AKSunny

Hi there, I have a similar experience—I live in AK and parents are in MT. They’re 73, and I just turned 40. My sister is nearby and can help my mom care for my dad some, but she also works full time.
I’m currently looking into getting someone to help my mom since she’s the one suffering from burnout. Since it can often be harder on the health of the caregiver I want to get her some support and find resources now before it gets worse.
Have either of you found support groups online or near you? I think those would be really helpful but haven’t found any near me or my parents (rural).
Thanks for posting—gives me hope we can learn from others.

nicomart

Hi there—Just wanted to say you all are not alone. I am in my 40's and live in the midwest; my mom was diagnosed with AZ and lives in New England. My dad is in total denial about her health, and I suspect he is having memory issues too. I don't know how I will manage their care being so far away. It is completely overwhelming.

BeckyBrown

Wow, as I was reading your post, I felt it could’ve been words that came from my own mouth. I’m 32 and my mom was diagnosed with dementia a few years ago at age 66. She had a brain aneurysm rupture at 52 and has always had cognitive challenges since but it really escalated in 2020 during the pandemic. she lives in a memory care facility in New England while I live in California. I have trained the staff at her assisted living facility to make sure to charge her cell phone and answer it when I call, and by this way, we’ve been able to speak every day when I leave work. I got my hours adjusted to 3:30 PM ending so that it’s not too late for her. But now she’s going to bed at 6:30 so it is too late. I am really torn between the emotions of wanting to be there with her, needing to live my own life and just the grief of it all as well as the guilt. I don’t have a partner or any roots, but my job is in person in California and I just don’t know what to do.