For seven or eight years, I have been living with a wife who has been diagnosed with dementia. She is now 78, and me 90. If I were not so young, being the primary caregiver probably would have already done me in. In the last few years, we have employed experienced caregivers that has helped reduce my burden. However, the experience has not been good, as sometimes, they do not interact with her or respond when she becomes frustrated or seeks attention. We are trying to change from shift caregivers to live-in help for nighttime coverage. I am concerned that something could happen to me, and our dogs do not know how to dial 911. Hard to find live-in help. Frankly, I just finished an Agency interview to find an experienced live-in caregiver. The person presented was not qualified and had limited experience.
Some agencies want to place people and, in my experience, care more about their monetary reward than about the client. I do not know where this journey will take me, but I have learned, as others have, that you and your friend are really the only ones there at the end of the day. Others truly care and love you, but they come first in their own world.