I flew back to my caregiving duties last night. I went straight to my room and ate my sandwich, which I made before I left, watched the last episode of a series I was watching on the plane, and fell asleep. When I awoke, my brother was serving breakfast as he had done the few days I was gone. I was able to get on the caregiving chatroom for the hour it was up. Afterwards I asked him how everything went while I was gone and then he hit me with the news.
He got a job! Now what do I do? And why didn’t he forewarn me? I am at a loss. And he is relying on my car to get him there. This is not right! Or is it me? I have sacrificed so much to be here with my parents and now this. I have a loving husband in Las Vegas. This is my third year of caregiving away from home. Is there a caregiving hotline I can call or a chatroom open all day fo caregivers? We need something desperately to get through these tough times.
Now that I will be the other person instead of my brother, how am I ever going home with only one person watching both parents while brother is working. Going home has been my respite. I started this journey 3 years ago in May. When covid hit, I couldn’t find a flight home. Airlines were basically shut down. I lost my composure so many times. It was a very trying year and I was ready to call it quits, but my brother was there and we could vent to each other.
Now I am looking for a caregiver for Dad while I go home. I have 3 flights scheduled. It took me a day or two “train” the caregivers to let them know what was needed. I have a caregiver for Mom but not for Dad at the moment (but I used to after he fractured his hip). I am now looking for one. He is in a walker and is a fall risk. So basically, I am looking for someone who can make popcorn, watch him as he walks through the house for bathroom trips and fetch his water or Boost. He also writes a sports column for the local paper twice a month and will forget how to print, attach a picture or even turn on the wifi. Someone with computer skills would also help. The previous caregiver and Mom’s came from an agency with a list of things they are allowed to do. I have three different caregivers for Mom during the day. Each one works 4 hours. Watching two parents is very difficult for 1 person. Through Dad’s insurance we have a provider come for 125 hours a year. We have 101 hours left.
