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Caring for elderly alcoholic mother

Caring for elderly alcoholic mother

Hi! This is my first post. I'm not sure if i've put it in the right place...

I'll try and make the back story as short as I can, because it's relevant but is also long.

My father passed away in 2015 after being sick for 6 years with a rare auto immune disease. We tried our best to keep him at home but we ended up having to place him in a home as he kept ending up in hospital with pneumonia. His illness was terminal and it caused seizures with alot of confusion which was similar to dementia. While he was unwell, we lost my grandfather (on my mother's side) and my grandma went into depression and ended up dying not long after my father.

Towards the end of my father's life my mum had met a man (I understand alot of people would think this was wrong but he provided help and comfort for mum and dad wasn't getting any better, unfortunately so I understand why she did it).

Their relationship was secret, and therefore, when this man died noone knew to tell my mum. She found out when she happened to be at the same place they were holding his wake.

As you can see, she has experienced alot of trauma with losing close family members all around the same time. When dad got sick, mum and I started drinking. I more so than her at the time. I ended up moving a few hours away for better work and visited alot. I got some help with seeing counsellors and met my now fiance.

One day I received a call from my cousin who had come to mow the lawn and he said that mum wasn't well. She wasn't really coherent and he called the ambulance. They told me she had a grand mal seizure and my partner and I rushed back home. This was during covid so I was already working remotely and we made the decision to stay with her to keep an eye on her and i could keep ny job working remotely. She was diagnosed with late on set epilepsy, put on seizure medication and told not to drink...

We have 2 separate dwellings so my partner and I live in one house and mum has her own space in the other. I also co own the property with my mum.

We've been back for 4 years and it's been an on and off nightmare. I'm an only child and haven't really been able to get any help from any of my living relatives. There's only my aunt and that's a whole other story.

We've recently had a little girl, she's 1.5 years old. I work full time and my partner works shift work.

I've been organising all appointments and driving mum to them. Picking her up from the club when she goes to see her friends and everything is starting to get too much. I did try to organise to buy a car for mum but she fought me really hard about it and told me I was causing her anxiety. We also have no public transport where we are and are 15kms from town.

Recently, I spoke to a caring agency about getting some help. I thought we could organise a driver and maybe someone to help her clean (she's a hoarder and also has mice living in her house because she refuses to get rid of them. She can't handle the smell of dead bodies).

One time she was in hospital, I cleaned her house threw out some rusty pots and pans and I'm still getting yelled at for it.

So I thought a bit of help might be a good idea. She shut me down and we got into a huge fight about it. She said she doesn't need a carer and got more help before I moved back home... she constantly guilt trips me and has never helped with her only grand child. Last week, my partner had to go away to see his unwell mother. I asked her for some help and the very next day I found her passed out on the floor from too much alcohol. She couldn't get up and I had my baby and I had no choice but to call the ambulance. They ended up keeping her in over night where she spoke in her sleep saying she wanted to die.

It's not the first time we've found her passed out on the ground due to drinking too much but it's the first time i've called the ambulance.

I've spoken to her Dr, they said I can't do anything unless she wants help. I've spoken to a solicitor because I have power of attorney. I can't use that unless she is completely incable of decisions. So I've run out of options.

I've been to counselling because I don't know how to handle it and I keep being told that I can't do anything... I feel like I'm just waiting to find her dead in her house.

After she refused to talk with the carer and threw my years of helping back in my face, I told her that she can organise it all herself then. But I feel terrible. She refuses to get any help. She's seen a counsellor once and thinks she helped them more than they helped her.

After this, she came over drunk and started crying to my partner. We've recently applied to refinance for some minor renovations and she needed her marriage certificate. She said that looking at her certificate caused her so much grief, that she went off the rails...

I'm sorry for the long post. I've tried to keep it as short as I can and have left out ALOT (mum coming over at 7am hammered because she's been drinking since 4am is a regular occurrence. Her meeting my inlaws for the first time and she was drunk) but I'm so burnt out and I'm wondering if there are other resources out there that I haven't thought of... she's a shell of the woman I used to know and I feel like I'm grieving the death of someone who is still alive

I'm just not sure how I can help myself and help her... my daughter is my number 1 priority now and I can't be a carer for mum. I just don't know how to get her the support we both need...

42 replies

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In response to: Caring for elderly alcoholic mother

Re: Caring for elderly alcoholic mother

I’m so glad you have your little one and partner @Jenny88 . They probably bring great joy to your life while you support your dear mum.

Its good you have happy memories of your child hood and hopefully you can remind your mum of that.

My dad was a much better grandfather than he was a parent and my kids have good memories of him.

In response to: Caring for elderly alcoholic mother

Re: Caring for elderly alcoholic mother

I wonder if it's just needing to continually speak to her about how much you appreciate her and you want what's best for you? @Jenny88

Also, do you think there is a driving factor in her drinking? ie. a root cause?

I hear how much you want her to recover.

In response to: Re: Caring for elderly alcoholic mother

Re: Caring for elderly alcoholic mother

Hey all. It's me again.

Having a terrible day... mum has been writing herself off every Saturday and her dogs get out of the house

Well today they unfortunately attacked a poodle and bit the owner who was trying to take her dog off the poodle.

I've given them my number because she's hammered and doesn't have any money so I will have to pay for the vet bill. I've asked them to take the poodle to the vet asap and now I'm just waiting for the call.

I've booked in an appointment with my gp who is lso mum's gp and I'm telling her everything because I can't keep doing this... I have no idea what to do or how to help myself or mum...

In response to: Re: Caring for elderly alcoholic mother

Re: Caring for elderly alcoholic mother

I'm so so sorry to hear @Jenny88 . It sounds like she's not able to care for herself anymore. Are you able to speak to your GP to see what options there are? She may not have a choice anymore. As you said, you can't keep doing this.

Hugs

In response to: Re: Caring for elderly alcoholic mother

Re: Caring for elderly alcoholic mother

Thank you. I went to go and check on her because the dogs have been seized...

And she looks like she's had a stroke

We're in the hospital now. Her face is back to normal and she swears she didn't have a drink this morning so now I'm thinking maybe something else was going on this morning 😞

In response to: Re: Caring for elderly alcoholic mother

Re: Caring for elderly alcoholic mother

I'm sorry to hear @Jenny88 .

Whilst she is in hospital, can you talk to them about services to support her? Let them know you really can't do it anymore.

Perhaps they can organise a social worker or occupational therapist to speak to you.

In response to: Re: Caring for elderly alcoholic mother

Re: Caring for elderly alcoholic mother

Thank you @tyme

That's what I have been doing. I've been hiding things for awhile and I can't do it anymore.

I've spoken with a social worker, our gp, the dr's, seniors legal aid and carers gateway.

I've told them everything because she can't come home and continue how it's been going...

She had an MRI today so we're waiting on the results from that.

If she is cleared to come home, there isn't much I can do but I'm working on applying for a grant to try and fix her house up and she is now open to a carer a few days a week.

We just have to wait and see what happens with the MRI... if there is permanent damage, she may need to go into a home because I can't care for her full time

It's been a rough week. Thank you for your support x

In response to: Re: Caring for elderly alcoholic mother

Re: Caring for elderly alcoholic mother

Yes you are right @Jenny88 .

I'm so glad you are advocating for her needs. She really needs it. It's good you have spoken up. I hope you can be firm that she can't come home until things are in place.

You have your own young family too consider. It's doesn't sound safe that she gets to continue how things have been because clearly, she needs support.

Even if she goes into supported living for a while.

All the best.

Know that we are thinking about you and hope it resolves soon.

In response to: Re: Caring for elderly alcoholic mother

Re: Caring for elderly alcoholic mother

Hey @Jenny88 ,

Any updates? Hope you are okay and things are slowly getting there.

Thinking of you.

PLEASE look after yourself and your bub.

In response to: Re: Caring for elderly alcoholic mother

Re: Caring for elderly alcoholic mother

Thank you x

She had her MRI on Friday, however the dr's haven't spoken to me and I probably won't hear from them until Monday... they told her she hasn't had a stroke and there isn't any bl33ding on the brain but she is still having delusions and she's still at hospital.

I think it's best she goes into a home... but she's very against it... it's a really hard choice but I think it would be better for her... she would make friends and not be lonely anymore.

I'm pretty stressed... I need to to go to the doctor because I'm worried I have shingles on my face. It's just been non stop and I have no idea what's going to happen... hoping to know more tomorrow

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