The elderly

[jontte]

Robin,my 2 cents in this is,just try to get your mom to get some of those meds,with those it's never wise to go cold turkey,it has to be over a longer period.

 

[Robinjopo1]

Robin,my 2 cents in this is,just try to get your mom to get some of those meds,with those it's never wise to go cold turkey,it has to be over a longer period.

She swears she only took one per day so we started just her taking part of one. Hopefully she has told the truth. I told her you can't just stop cold turkey.

 

[grayghost668]

I had to deal with an elderly parent,,,it is not easy,,,



we only get one set of parents,,,,cherish all the time you have left with her,,,for you will truly miss her when she is gone

 

[Brent S]

Robin,

Just love her. We all start confused and oblivious to the world. And for many people, they end in that same state. It's really hard for the loved ones to watch it. But be grateful that you are there and able to help her in her years of need.

I'll give an example that is awful. This past week I read about an elderly man who was put into a care facility 3 months ago. Family would visit. They discovered that the staff never properly bathed him and his 'privates' were so bad they had gangrene. He died within days. As long as it's possible, I think it's best to keep family at home.

I couldn’t agree more. Families should stay together and take care of each other. Sticking together and having each other’s back is what makes life so much better.

 

[TexasFreedom]

There are some horror stories about the uncircumcised elderly.

Unfortunately, that wasn't the issue. It was the two crazy buddies down there. Not to get gross, but the scrotum was disintegrating with gangrene and nobody noticed it. What horrible care. I'll expect a massive lawsuit to follow.

As I said, keep family at home as long as possible.

 

[Robinjopo1]

To get totally personal ...... part of the indicators or my son's Fragile X Syndrome is an extra large scrotum. His pediatrician look at him and said "now there's something you don't see every day". It would be a breeding ground for crud if he couldn't clean himself. Now I have something else to worry about. What will happen to him after I die.

 

[bigpaul]

my parents are long gone, as is most of my family, I have a male cousin in a nursing home in Australia and a female married cousin(his sister) about 25 miles away, that's it, apart from a half sister near London.

 

[tmttactical]

my parents are long gone, as is most of my family, I have a male cousin in a nursing home in Australia and a female married cousin(his sister) about 25 miles away, that's it, apart from a half sister near London.

All my parents are gone too. Between the wife and I , we have 4 sons, 2 daughters, 3 grandsons, 3 granddaughters, all spread out. One son and grandkids in San Diego. One son and grandkids in Sacramento. On son a grandkid in Eugene, or. One kid and grandkid in Portland, Or., one kid in Seattle, Wa. and last but not least, one kid in Austin TX. So the kids are all spread out. Cost a small fortune to go visiting them, has to be budgeted. The good part is that most of them come to visit us, fall or winter time. Funny how none want to visit during the summer. They miss all our beautiful summer heat, the wimps. LOL

 

[bigpaul]

I don't have kids, the wife has one adult daughter from a previous marriage and two grandkids, one at home but going to college the other in Uni in Cardiff.

 

[Robinjopo1]

My mother is here with me, my husband's mom has early dementia and lives with his sister. I have 1 blood brother and 3 step brothers still alive. I've already had 3 brothers die at an early age. Husband had a brother die of Multiple Sclerosis in his 40s.

I grew up with all older brothers so I was more of a boy than girl. Didn't date becausebinsaw how they were with females. And, oh, if ever did, the hell the boy would catch. Mom came from a very large family. Cousins galore, but dad was an only child. Alcoholic so they divorced. Remarried when I was 8 and he was the best man that ever walked. I have the two children I always talk about. Boy 27, has Fragile X Syndrome and is the most loving person ever. Daughter is 25 and married to a super guy. (Thank you God). That's my life

I know Paul, I talk too much.

 

[Arcticdude]

My father's 86 now. He gets more grumpy ever year.

 

[Robinjopo1]

My father's 86 now. He gets more grumpy ever year.

Mom will be 86 next month.

 

[tmttactical]

By 86, your body has more things going wrong than going right, they have a reason to be grumpy. They earned a bit of grumpy.

 

[brandx]

Mom decided much of her problems were caused by her antidepressants. She cut down then stopped. During the time, she was in bed. She was just taking little pieces to keep a little in her system. She was doing great for 4 days . She stopped completely and today she is mad at the world. She is also back in bed. I told her to take a little. I don't know if she will.

A lot of the things they will do is try to exert control, or maintain control and they tend to go overboard on that. Yes, she is self diagnosing, that is not a good thing.

 

[brandx]

Robin,

Just love her. We all start confused and oblivious to the world. And for many people, they end in that same state. It's really hard for the loved ones to watch it. But be grateful that you are there and able to help her in her years of need.

I'll give an example that is awful. This past week I read about an elderly man who was put into a care facility 3 months ago. Family would visit. They discovered that the staff never properly bathed him and his 'privates' were so bad they had gangrene. He died within days. As long as it's possible, I think it's best to keep family at home.

I agree, but there are good places too. You have to hunt for them, do research and spy them out.

 

[brandx]

By 86, your body has more things going wrong than going right, they have a reason to be grumpy. They earned a bit of grumpy.

Got that right, I'm halfway to grumpville myself.

 

[Maverick]

My mom is 84 I think, she just got a walker in October, now they think she has cancer in the stomach, she gave up driving in November. She is now living with my brother and a handful.

 

[Gazrok]

She was up walking this morning. I'm very torn on how to handle the situation.

LifeAlert. Yeah, we all know the commercials, but seriously....it's good to be able to press a button and have help. We had to get one for my mother this year. Her downstairs neighbor fell, and couldn't summon help, and died. If she had it, she'd likely still be alive. It scared my mom pretty good, so she was finally on board with it.

 

[Danil54grl]

My mil is 95 & still driving. She has had a very good mind until the last year. I can tell she is going downhill at a faster rate than I would like. She is getting very forgetful now days. It used to be she was sharp as a whip. When I take her shopping it wears her out and she takes frequent cat naps throughout the day, but yet is still active driving herself daily to eat lunch at the senior citizen home and actively attends the local girl college games. Even drives her 82 year old friend. She is a celebrity there now days. . . Get her own cup parking and an escort in from one of the playerplayers. She loves it!

My mother is 72 now and she's been sorta spaced years past. Now that she has remarried its only become worse.

 

[KateMTx]

I work with seniors on a day to day basis in my job and I love them but can they sometimes be a handful! My own grandmother was one of those who never wanted help even when she needed it. It got to where she wouldn't take her meds correctly but she wouldn't let my mom help either and would call her all kinds of names when she tried. She just passed the week before Christmas after a long time in and out of hospitals and nursing homes. So I guess we just have to love them while they're here with us and respect their right to be grumpy.