So, I am new here. Hello!
I've joined because I need an outlet to deal with the stress caused by caring for my Grandmother. Firstly, I have to say I love my Grandmother. There is not a thing I would not do for her but she can try the patience of a saint. She is practically deaf, has various breathing conditions and mobility issues.
Nearly a year ago, we lost my Grandfather, her husband, to cancer. He was a wonderful man and I was more than happy to become his carer when, with a space of a week, we found out that not only did he have cancer but he had less than six months to live. He was gone 2 months later.
Looking after my Grandfather was easy. It was heartbreaking but he listened to me, he listened to his doctors, he did everything possible to make looking after him as easy as possible.
My Grandmother is the complete opposite. She does not listen at all. One of the major issues we have had for years, even before my Grandfather passed, was that she will not wear her hearing aids. We are lucky if she wears one but they are designed to work in tandem so one does nothing to help her. She then pretends she has heard us but she hasn't and it means she gets things wrong all the time.
On top of this, she has a history of taking her tablets wrong even when she has them all laid out in her weekly planner boxes and I have gone through them with her, testing her understanding and so forth.
I am only tipping the iceberg on how bad she is to look after. Even she knows how much hard work she is because she doesn't help herself at all. She is impossibly stubborn. The worst thing of all is despite assessments, the DWP do not think she warrants a carer!!! So after my Grandfather died, I had to find employment.
Social services have been brilliant. They recently got a walk in shower and stair lift installed and my Grandmother now has a lifeline bracelet with means she can summon help in an emergency. They tried to get the DWP to amend their decision but had no joy.
Our family thinks she should be in a care home. We don't want to see that happen because she does not want it. She wants to die in her home of 60 years. She, like her husband before her, does not want outside help like cleaners or carers coming to the house. This is all fine with us but if she won't look after herself or even try to help herself, how can we possibly continue as we are. And despite knowing this, she will not change her ways.
I'm sorry this is a long post but I guess you can see why I need an outlet now.
I've joined because I need an outlet to deal with the stress caused by caring for my Grandmother. Firstly, I have to say I love my Grandmother. There is not a thing I would not do for her but she can try the patience of a saint. She is practically deaf, has various breathing conditions and mobility issues.
Nearly a year ago, we lost my Grandfather, her husband, to cancer. He was a wonderful man and I was more than happy to become his carer when, with a space of a week, we found out that not only did he have cancer but he had less than six months to live. He was gone 2 months later.
Looking after my Grandfather was easy. It was heartbreaking but he listened to me, he listened to his doctors, he did everything possible to make looking after him as easy as possible.
My Grandmother is the complete opposite. She does not listen at all. One of the major issues we have had for years, even before my Grandfather passed, was that she will not wear her hearing aids. We are lucky if she wears one but they are designed to work in tandem so one does nothing to help her. She then pretends she has heard us but she hasn't and it means she gets things wrong all the time.
On top of this, she has a history of taking her tablets wrong even when she has them all laid out in her weekly planner boxes and I have gone through them with her, testing her understanding and so forth.
I am only tipping the iceberg on how bad she is to look after. Even she knows how much hard work she is because she doesn't help herself at all. She is impossibly stubborn. The worst thing of all is despite assessments, the DWP do not think she warrants a carer!!! So after my Grandfather died, I had to find employment.
Social services have been brilliant. They recently got a walk in shower and stair lift installed and my Grandmother now has a lifeline bracelet with means she can summon help in an emergency. They tried to get the DWP to amend their decision but had no joy.
Our family thinks she should be in a care home. We don't want to see that happen because she does not want it. She wants to die in her home of 60 years. She, like her husband before her, does not want outside help like cleaners or carers coming to the house. This is all fine with us but if she won't look after herself or even try to help herself, how can we possibly continue as we are. And despite knowing this, she will not change her ways.
I'm sorry this is a long post but I guess you can see why I need an outlet now.