Caring for Mother: She doesn't trust my care. Suggestions?

@gingerw
Howdy,
I know your moving, bet you’ll be glad to be out of the rat race. I think I remember you mentioning 750 miles but not sure if that was one way or round trip. I was curious if you were moving within Ca or out of State.
Jake

@jakedduck1 The appraisal was yesterday, so we should hear by Saturday if we need to negotiate at all. If everything goes through, escrow closes on 2 July, and sellers will rent back for a month. I move up 1 Aug, and we will shuttle loads once a month or so until weathered out, final loads in the Spring. Husband is still working until April. It is 765 miles each way, into southern Oregon. We're going back to area he was born and raised in.
Ginger

THANK YOU!

@jakedduck1 .your situation sounds tough! And sad because it’s your mother. It’s so difficult when the child becomes the parent. It sounds like your mother is very afraid; afraid of another fall, afraid of losing her independence, afraid of what you’ll think of her, afraid of dying. You might take her to the GP who know her and maybe ask for a referral to a gerontologist. They specialize in the aging process and caring for elderly patients. He/she will better understand what has happened and how the fall has affected your mom.
I agree with @gingerw about having someone else come in so you can get some sleep. That’s so important! You want to keep your humorous personality, we like it!

I’ve been thinking about her seeing a gerontologist. Is that a specialist or a primary care physician for the elderly. I’m concerned if she goes to one and it doesn’t work out how receptive will her current doctor be in taking her back if the gerontologist is a primary doctor.
I know she is scared. She keeps saying “I can’t” every time I try to get her out of bed or her chair. She leans way back instead of leaning forward. I show her by sitting and bending as far forward as I can showing her how I don’t fall. I took a few videos of her trying to get up and how as soon as I hold her to help she leans way back. I try to explain it is to hard on me to lift dead weight and instead of trying to do it like I show her she says “I don’t want to hurt you. Cant we hire someone. She doesn’t seem to understand if she gets up like that it’s going to be hard on anyone helping. Does she need to see a Psychologist?
Jake

@jakedduck1 You are trying so hard! A gerontologist can act as a specialist or as a PCP. Good idea to try one. I’m sure that your Mom’s current PCP would welcome some help in treating your Mom. He/she may also recommend so physical therapy to help you and your mom do things safely. She might listen to someone who is hired to help, but you don’t want to do that until she’s had a full evaluation so the best decisions are made.
Why are you thinking of a psychologist? I’m not a doctor. I’m a nurse and I would suggest meeting your Mom’s need for safety comes first. Will you let us know how things go, Leonard? Becky

@becsbuddy
Only reason I was thinking of a Psychologist was to see if something could be done about her fear which is a safety concern, especially for me. It’s very hard to lift her as she fights me. She tells me to slow down when we’re stopped. She was sitting early this morning and she says “I want to sit down.” I tell her you are sitting, “I want to stand up” I ask why “I don’t know” She said “Don’t pay any attention to me” ?????????
Jake

@jakedduck1 it must be so difficult for you, I’m sorry. Is your Mom on any new medication? Sometimes medications can add to confusion. Ask her doctor if she can use milder pain meds.
Ask about a gerontologist
Get a referral for physical therapy
Focus on safety for both of you
Take care of yourself!
Will you let me know how everything goes this week? Please

@becsbuddy
Yesterday I noticed I had flat tire. Had two nails in it. I called auto club and when he arrived his lug wrenches didn’t fit. This was a first. Also the wrench that came with my car didn’t fit??? So out comes a tow truck for a trip to the tire shop. Later the phone rings, tire can’t be patched, ok new tire. Then my Mom shrieks, “I cant stand up, and down she goes so I call 911. The paramedic says she has a UTI, Doc orders Antibiotics and I don’t have a car and can’t find anyone to pick it up. Tire shop calls, I need to send you a picture of your new tire, it’s not fitting right.
Insurance company calls, emergency grievance filed Fri not valid so file another one. That was the afternoon bad news, I’m not up to going over the morning bad news. I’m not going to answer my door or phone and pretend everything is fine.
Later,
Jake

Having been taking care of people many many years, and this is the hardest part. I have seen it often enough to see some similarities. Here are a few. Someone becomes ill, they don’t know what’s happened. Like being in an earthquake. The ground under your feet should be stable, but it isn’t. They are scared and confused. But we don’t like to show those feelings because they make us seem vulnerable. So, we replace them with other things, often, anger, especially directed to the only person we see, the caregiver.
When an animal is injured, it attacks. It knows it has little defense so it tries to scare off anything getting close.
Sometimes, we do something like that, too.
The hardest time I had was caring for my Mom, who would loose it and accuse me of trying to kill her. Now, she knew that wasn’t true, I knew it wasn’t true, but it still hurt. Fortunately for me, my Dad was always there and he could calm her down.
But what about you? Well, perhaps just a warm hug, change the subject, put on soft music, go out in the sunshine. Have an ice cream sundae. Look at old photographs. Do her hair, every woman likes that, or manicure her nails. Even have someone come in to do her nails. Buy new sheets and pillows. Use perfume. Buy pretty soap.
Somehow, replace the drudgery and work with something light.
One thing I did get from Mom was she would say “ Enjoy the little things in life, because when you look back on it, they were the big things after all.
Let me know how it’s going, and you know, I never regretted anything I did for my family, no matter how hard it was.