Spectrum

Rosepetal17 · June 17

Hello,
I am a caregiver to an elderly parent. We are in Peterborough, ON. Canada. I am finding it more and more frustrating because my life is on hold. My mother is 92 yrs, and at times appears to be very sharp ("with it") but she does forget a lot, more and more, and I see signs of decline. It is quite challenging because if she talks to a friend on the phone, no one would think she had Dementia or Alzheimer's disease. I live with her, and can see her mixing things up, not remembering, and even waking up in the morning incredibly distressed over minor issues. At this time, I really have no support.

SusanB-dil · June 17

Hi Rosepetal17 - welcome to 'here', but sorry for the reason.

Yes, it is frustrating! Do you have any adult daycare, or senior centers near you that you could bring her to a few days a week? Maybe look into some part-time in-home assistance so you could get a bit of respite.

When she speaks to someone on the phone, or you have a visitor, she is most likely 'showtiming'. This can take some effort on their part, but a lot of our LO have even fooled doctors at times.

Caregiver burnout is real. I hope it works out for you to get a much-needed break.