A Place for Mom's Family

Coping With The Guilt Over An Elder Care Decision

"When I first asked my mother to move her answer was a definite ‘No!'" Lynn D. remembers. "To her leaving her home meant abandoning her life, including the memory of her time with my father. Even though I believe the change was absolutely for the best, I couldn't force her to leave that memory. After all, it's been fifteen years since my father died and I still miss him everyday. How could I do that to her?

"Plus, my mother‘s mind is starting to fail her. Would moving her into a new situation mean that she would lose all reminders of my father? Was being this cruel a risk I was willing to take? I even wrestled with whether I had my mother's best interest in mind sometimes. I experienced constant confusion."

Lynn made the elder care decision to relocate her mother after an incident at the hospital.

"My mother had fallen and broken her hip. She was sitting up in her bed when she made a fist and pulled her hand back suddenly, her target the unsuspecting medical aide who had called her ‘honey.' ‘Mother!' I said firmly. She struck me instead.

 This article continues at Coping with Guilt over an Elder Care Decision.

Another issue that I find continually when family as caregivers are coping with the guilt is that they forget what their own limitations are both physically and emotionally. All too often I hear the caregiving spouse state, "I'm so exhausted I just don't know how much longer I can go on with this". "I'm at my wit's end and feel like I'm spiraling out of control". "My OWN health is deteriorating and I'm so stressed worrying about him". Just recently, a caregiver stated that when his wife balled up her fist to hit him, he almost hit her back because he's at HIS breaking point. I also experienced an incredibly difficult situation when family members expressed that their dad was taking care of their mom who suffered from severe Parkinsons. Both parents were in their early 80's and the caregiving dad had a heart attack while trying to help his wife with her shower. She fell to the shower floor, he was unconscious on the floor next to her and he soon perished. They layed there on the bathroom floor for several hours until their neighbor found them that evening. I coach families daily about the necessity of taking care of themselves and understanding and accepting their limitations. They also have to understand their limitations in order to provide the safest, healthiest and most nurturing environment for their loved one.

A question I ask my clients that sometimes helps put into perspective the "guilt" that they are experiencing is this: "How would you feel if something happened to Dad while you were caring for him during a time when you were so physically and emotionally drained that you KNEW you weren't able to provide the best possible care for him?" At that point the decision becomes a crisis based decision which compounds and magnifies the fear, confusion and often times miscommunication amongst other family members.

Be prepared, informed, clear and consistant on what the needs for your loved one will be. Talk with the counselors here on this site, speak with doctors and other care professionals and be informed. Research and decide on a particular care facility and/or outside care options AHEAD of time when it's not a crisis based decision. Have several options for future care available. Decide on a plan A and a plan B for care. Seek out support groups for caregivers in your area. Know your limitations and accept that often times the best care you can provide for your loved one is not always going to come from you....and that's perfectly OK.

~Vickie~

This was very good, Vickie.  I intend to use it in the future.  Thanks,

Thank you for this, Vickie! Great advice!