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Mother living with me has Dementia

Boxer Mom
Boxer Mom Member Posts: 9
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Hello Everyone, I recently had my mom come live with me, her choice. She was living by herself up until last Oct. Fell Broke her hip, end up in rehab for 2 months for thearpy. When she was in there my brother sought out Gaurdianship over her. Needless to say when she found out she was mad. She wanted to go back home, but the rehab center said no. So she had a choice either me or him. She chose me. I've been looking after mom for 14 yrs after my Dad has passed. He has not been in her life, neither has my sister. I tried to have mom put me P.O.A over her along time ago. But unfortunally she would not, said she didn't need one. So after she had fallen a couple of times, needless to say it didn't help much with her Dememtia. I've taken care of people in the past for other people that has had this type of disease. They were living in there own home, or with a daughter or husband. But I was able to get away from it. Now I have to deal with it on a day to day basis. My mom fights me over getting a shower. Rehab had the same issues. She fights me over taken her meds, not everday and night. But most days she does. She has sundowners really bad. Goes to bed at 8:00pm at night, unless you make her mad then it will be 10:30 or 11:00. I give her mood stablizer pill at night as it say's it causes drowness. She will be back up at 4:00am. If I give her the pill in the morning, then it knocks her out most of the day. And then she is up all night. And I don't go to bed until 12:00 or 1:30. So I'm not getting alot of sleep. My brother dosen't help, but he wanted gaurdianship over her. I've got a sister and all she wants to do is call on the phone and ask how she is. I myself have been thru alot. Horriable metal abusive marriage for 36yrs. And then a yr ago in Oct God called him home. I had to move myself to my new house I bought, as my old house belong to inlaws. I joined a church, was going and doing activies at the church. Plus attending services. I was finally starting to get happy. I had a new house for me and my fur kids. And now I can't do anything. Mom dosen't want to go to the grocery, Doctor's, or church with me. And she can't be left alone even though she think she can. She has always been stubborn,and very contray and needless to say the Dementia dosen't help any. It just makes it worse. I fill like I've been giving a prison sentence to stay in my own home. She has been with me right at a month right now. How do people do this on a yr to yr basis. I'm about to go nut's now. I need some info and help, for me and my fur kids. As it is depressing to me and them both, and it's alot to weed thru. Thanks everone!

Comments

  • SDianeL
    SDianeL Member Posts: 3,237
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    Welcome. So sorry about your Mom and your situation. Without POA or guardianship you can’t do much. I would speak to an Elder Care Attorney to see what options you have. In my opinion if your brother has guardianship then he is responsible for her care. She needs medication to calm her. Without POA you can’t even speak to her doctors unless she signed HIPPA papers to give you that authority. If you choose to care for your Mom you will need to learn all you can about the disease and tips on caring for her. You can’t reason with someone whose reasoner is broken. Read the book “The 36 Hour Day” and search online for dementia caregiving videos by Teepa Snow or Tam Cummings. Contact your County Agency on Aging to see what programs are in your area. They have elder day care in some places. If you can’t care for your Mom you should speak to an Elder Care Attorney to see if she qualifies for Medicaid for long term care. We understand what you are going through. Come here often and let us know how you’re doing. 💜

  • JulietteBee
    JulietteBee Member Posts: 435
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    Your brother, her guardian, needs to be PAYING you for caring for your mom/his charge. Along with that, he needs to hire respite care to afford you breaks from the monumental task of caring for mom.

    It seems like a family meeting is priority #1. All the best. It pains my heart to hear of dysfunction in the family at the time mom needs all her children to be rallying together, nit pulling apart.😢

  • Boxer Mom
    Boxer Mom Member Posts: 9
    5 Care Reactions First Comment
    Member

    Hi Juliette Bee, My brother wanted her to come live with him when she was due to get out of rehab. But the problem is, she didn't want to go live with him. He hasn't been in her life the last 14yrs. And honestly he works and fly's for his company alot so I really don't see how he could do it. My mom had me up 4 times in the middle of the night last night. That's one reason why he didn't have a problem letting her stay with me. He had her once before whem she fell, and had to go stay with him. His wife complained about her keep him up all night. He really dosen't have the patience to take care of her. She would be up there a week if lucky and he would have her shipped off to a nursing home. So that's why she is with me. My mom's attonery said something about getting paided for taking care of her, but I'm not sure how that works. And mom's attonery didn't explain either. Can you shed any light on this?

  • H1235
    H1235 Member Posts: 1,789
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    When mom lived with my brother she paid him rent that covered utilities and groceries out of her money ( actually I paid him since I was DPOA). She just stayed in a room in his house, nothing special. The lawyer said this arrangement was fine and would not be a problem if she needed to apply for Medicaid later as long as she did not pay for him to care for her ( I don’t know why). Since my brother treated her more like a roommate anyway this worked. Eventually it became obvious she needed more care and we moved her to assisted living. I would think you should be compensated in some way. If your mom already qualifies for Medicaid there may be some compensation allowance, I don’t know (it’s complicated). I would look into it. I have attached a Medicaid coverage by state link that might help, but a lawyer is really the way to go.

    https://www.medicaidplanningassistance.org/medicaid-eligibility-income-chart/

  • SDianeL
    SDianeL Member Posts: 3,237
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    I would go back and talk with the attorney again. Can you get the DPOA changed to your name? Ask about getting paid if you can’t get POA. Ask about Medicaid qualifications.

  • JulietteBee
    JulietteBee Member Posts: 435
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    @Boxer Mom, I am so sorry to hear that your brother is her guardian yet has no time or patience for her.

    As far as being compensated, her guardian is expected to use her funds for her care. As she is being cared for by you, he needs to be paying you for the work you are doing. If he does not want to pay you to do the job you are lovingly & willingly doing, he needs to pay someone to come in your home to render the same level of care that you are affording mom, 24/7/365. It is one or the other as you can not continue to work for free. All the best!🙏🏽

Commonly Used Abbreviations


DH = Dear Husband
DW= Dear Wife, Darling Wife
LO = Loved One
ES = Early Stage
EO = Early Onset
FTD = Frontotemporal Dementia
VD = Vascular Dementia
MC = Memory Care
AL = Assisted Living
POA = Power of Attorney
Read more