Caring For Your Parents

[Janice]

Do you have either of your parents living with you? Do you plan on having your parents live with you when they are elderly and not able to take care of themselves?

My father died while married, so my mother took care of him. My mother died early and had a small condo close to my sister. My sister would stop by all the time. My sister sold her condo, later when she got real sick and put her in a real nice care facility. She needed constant care and lifting. My sister went to see her every day. When she got in this condition, she was basically bedridden. My mother went from good to bad real fast, stroke and heart attack.

[furluvcats]

I guess it depends on the circumstances and medical needs...my Dad is dead...no issue there...and my mom is remarried...and still fairly young...so not too much of a thought yet...my husbands mom lives alone and is 78 tho...so we'll have to deal with this sooner...she had a ton of kids and a few still live near her in Chicago, and see her about everyday...

[george_r_1961]

My dad was ok till maybe the last few months of his life..was still able to drive a little and take care of himself. We lived together so he wouldnt have to be alone all the time; I rarely go out so I was with him most of the time when not at work. His trips to the hospital became more and more frequent and lengthy and we both knew the end was near. Me and my dad had major issues when I was a young adult due to my heavy partying; it was good to be with him in that stark room in the ER when the doctor said it was over.

[alicia-w]

my mom is gone and my dad has a new girlfriend so she can take care of him. he really is quite a curmudgeon.

[vbhoutex]

MY dad passed in 1999, but my mom is still doing pretty well at 74 yrs old. Still lives on her own near Alicia in fact. She is talking more and more about moving to Houston soon(I am her only child). I have made it clear that she will have to do that if she becomes sickly or needs more care than a normal relatively well elderly person unless she wants to live in a care home over there with me only visiting once in a while. I don't think of her as elderly though.
My wife's mother is going to turn 89 in July. She is starting to show more and more signs of dementia, but is in REMARKABLE shape for someone here age. Since her last hospitalization she is now homebound and doesn't get out except to come to our homes or go on a short shopping trip. She still lives in her home(Susan's Dad passed about a year ago), but we now have people staying with her 12 hours a day, 7 days a week after he last hospital stay(2 so far in the last 6 months). Fortunately both our Mom's are well enough off that they can pay for their own health care/care. There is a lot more to this story concerning Susan's mom, but I won't bore you with details, except to say the BIL and I finally said we would like our wife's back home with us.

[angelwing]

Well, aftre caring for my great-aunt, my parents and my hubby's parents(long long story, one day I may go into it), I'm kinda tuckered out, but all in all if I had to do it again I would, I miss them all dearly

[beachbum_al]

My meme needed someone to stay with her but not necessarily watch every move. So my aunt and uncle (her daughter) sold their house, tore down the house that they grew up in and build this big house with a mother-in-law suite. My meme has her own little apartment but is not alone. Her apartment is actually attached to the house but separated from the house by a screen on porch and walkway. It is kind of neat how they did. She has a living room with bedroom. A full size bathroom and kitchen. She has parkinson disease and is slowly going downhill but putting her in a nursing home or assisted living was not an option. See Meme doesn't see what we see. She doesn't realize or should I say that she is not letting the parkinson stop her.

[coriolis]

My wife's mother lived with us until she passed in March of this year. She gradually lost her abilities and her facilities. We had our share of care issues.