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Anyone here remember Captain? He would not last 5 minutes on here these days! LOL
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“now the majority of the posts are complaints about family dysfunction.”

I learn a lot on this forum how to handle family dysfunction in caregiving. I wish it weren’t useful for me (that would mean I’ve never seen dysfunction), but it’s very useful. For example, today’s sentence from Invisible really helped me:

“Please value your life, even when others do not.”
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Sometimes it is only a vent. A person doesn’t really want advice. So be it. Just label it that way. Say that you are only venting. Many people need a release of pent up frustrations.
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Burnt,

I don’t know how they decide who gets suspended. I am glad that you were reinstated because different opinions should be voiced.

We learn from each other. Sometimes we agree and sometimes we don’t. As long as we try to be respectful, that’s what counts. It’s impossible for everyone to agree on everything.

We are individuals, not clones. I would never expect everyone to agree with everything that I say. I am certainly not going to agree with every single person who posts on this forum, and that is okay!
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@cwillie

Copy that about the family dysfunction. Sure, sometimes a person needs to tell it to others who understand what they're going through. I get that and God knows the people here have given me good advice and support when I just needed to tell it.

You are right about there being an awful lot of it now though. I notice that there's also a lot of people who are just looking for people they can be contrary with and are clearly instigating.
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cw,

Yeah, true. That’s probably how the My Whine Moment thread came about. Lots of posts on there! I post on it too.
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The site has been evolving for a long time now, it used to have more questions about the practical side of caregiving but now the majority of the posts are complaints about family dysfunction. Don't get me wrong that has a place too, but I can't even sympathize with some of it it's so 🙄
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@Need

For sure I've seen it all and none of it has shocked me for a very long time. Do I still get grossed out, angry, and lose my patience sometimes? Yes, I sure do, but not shocked.

This forum was pretty tightly moderated up until recently. I had my account suspsended for calling out a person who was very obviously not a caregiver, but a person looking for advice on how to make trouble her state-paid for caregiver. Yet what they're allowing to post and stay up is pretty surprising to me.
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@venting

I totally get where your mother is coming from about doing the bills online.
I do not pay bills online. Nor do I do any personal banking online either. I like a written, printed bill and a nice canceled check as proof of payment.

Could you or someone else write out your mother's bills once a month?

I used to sit with my care clients back when I still did client care and literally write out their checks for their bills and they would sign them. Then I'd record them in their check registers. It's really wasn't that hard.
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Burnt,

I do have to say that the woman who placed the cat in the oven because she thought she was radioactive was a bit mind blowing! 😮

Fortunately, the knobs were removed! I’m sure that you have seen your share of craziness during your time as a caregiver.
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Burnt,

Nothing surprises me nowadays. I am not shocked by anything anymore! Truth can be stranger than fiction.
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I have something on mind. What's happened to this forum in the last month or so?

Is anyone moderating this site and what'e being allowed to be posted? The questions that are being posted have become so outlandish and so ridiculous that this site seems more like a playground for internet trolls looking to have a laugh than it does a support group. Or like manic bi-polar sufferers or maybe people 'on the spectrum' having a meltdown.

What is going on here?

I just saw a post from someone claiming to have dementia whose adult children refuse to allow her to be alone so she's getting dropped off at her 81 year old mother's house so her mother can watch her.
Yet, this person can coherently craft a post about it and effectively use a computer.
How can that be real and not a fishing expedition or someone using a support group for entertainment?
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Rest in peace, Tony Bennett. Loved him!
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THANKS, Cat!!!
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Not being appreciated by someone, especially a LO is a rotten feeling. Like a kick in the gut.
sorry Venting :(
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Thanks Need!
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venting,

My MIL was a lovely woman. Her mom was another story! My husband’s grandmother was very self centered.

My MIL was an only child and she helped her mother with as much as she could. She did work full time so she wasn’t at her mom’s beck and call every single minute.

Very often she would say, “It would be so nice if my mother could say, ‘Thank you’ for all that I do for her.”

Everyone deserves appreciation. Sadly, some people don’t get it. I’m sorry that your mom doesn’t show appreciation to you.

You’re right to back off from helping her.
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Thanks Way, your words make me feel a lot better. Just being understood helps.

Anyway:

I quit.
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venting,

That is a tough situation . Many elderly need help with the tech stuff . Gets impossible if they start accusing the person that helps them of stealing money .
I get being over it. You help and get grief for it. Your mom will have to figure it out or ask or hire someone else to help . But at least this way she can’t blame you for giving out passwords .
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Hi Way,

(((Hug)))
It’s hard with a stubborn FIL.

My mom? Example:
internet banking, which is very easy for all of us, but my mom isn’t good at computers. I taught her many times; she wrote down the instructions. She makes errors every time, clicking on the wrong buttons. Anyway, now her hands have problems; she can hardly type. And she’s not mobile, so she can’t easily go to the bank.

You see? This is just one example of many. You can imagine lots of other examples like this, where you prefer not to give the passwords to a hired caregiver.

There are professional people you can hire to deal with payments, but you can’t always trust them either. What about wanting to order something online?

There are also other tasks, admin, with sensitive documents. That’s all online.

I’m quitting.
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I feel almost guilty this morning seeing on the news the tornadoes and floods that hit my neighboring states (KY & NC) last night while we enjoy beautiful weather. It's so hot in so much of the county while we have enjoyed a cool spring and summer - only in recent week or so have the temperatures gotten to 90. Can't change anything; just sorry for what others are experiencing.
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venting ,

why did she “ dump “ the financial stuff on you if she’s competent ?

I like the mute button idea.
FIL is on a roll again , wants to be independent and have a car🙄😬😭
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Thanks Way. She’s fully competent. I already set up care in her house. No problem.

It’s all the other tasks that turn up now and then: financial things, sensitive documents…Normally you can’t delegate that to another person (like a hired caregiver). I’ve been helping.

I’m going to give all problems back to her. I don’t want to be a slave anymore. And her ungrateful attitude is despicable. And her lack of empathy to point out how unfair it is of her to dump this all on me for years, is also despicable. And not a single gesture of thanks, in return.

I quit.
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ventingisback,

If she is competent , do what you need to do , put her care back on her to figure out.

I know it’s easier said than done. Once we have taken on these responsibilities it’s hard to get out . They expect us to continue .

Is she just lazy ? Or truly needs help with getting her care arranged ? What about if she paid for a geriatric care manager ? Although she would probably refuse and want you to keep doing it.

I’m sorry you are in this situation .
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What we need in this world (God, can you grant this please?), is a mute button for abusive people.

Just think of how many lives on this forum would improve.
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I’m done helping my mom. She’s mentally competent. I’ll return all her problems back to her. I helped for years. Admin stuff, health stuff, organizing and training the hired in-home caregivers…

Result? She can’t express some form of gratitude, some kind gesture towards me?

I quit.
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TN,

You’re not crazy. He sounds like he is a very special nephew!
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It’s your money to do what you want with .
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I think I have lost my mind. I just purchased a lovely outdoor stainless steel drawer fridge for my nephew's outdoor kitchen at the lake. It can be built in under the counter top and left out over winter. It's the most expensive appliance I have ever brought - but he was so thrilled to get it. Am I crazy that I still love "spoiling" my 45 year old nephew? Spent as much on that fridge as he is spending building the rest of the kitchen...
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Also remember this, in case your siblings tell you you’re “paid” by living for free in the parent’s house:

1. A 24-hour caregiver is paid a lot. Not just free rent.
2. A hired caregiver has the right to vacation and time off during the day. You don’t need to be on-call literally 24 hours a day. And you don’t work every day of the week. You rotate with other caregivers.
3. MOST IMPORTANTLY:
a job is something you can QUIT, you get paid, and you have RIGHTS. You also have a right to an environment that’s not too abusive.

But if it was all dumped on you by your siblings, can you really QUIT? Not really. Not if there are only very bad facilities where you are. Your kind heart probably doesn’t want to dump the parent in a very bad facility. Are you getting paid? Probably not. Do you have any rights? No.

In other words, it’s not a job.

And your siblings are wrong. What it is, is: unpaid slavery + abuse.
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