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Caring for very elderly aunt

(3 Posts)
Tenaciousd Thu 18-Jul-24 16:12:16

I have a very elderly aunt who lives 100 miles away and has for years refused to move near the family. She is now bed bound and receiving a double handed package of care at home.
I love her very much but I am getting tired of the long commute, albeit once a week to do her washing and shopping. Not only that but much time is consequently taken up with dealing with physios, GPs, podiatrists, social workers, cleaner, gardener, window cleaner etc. I had to cut short a career in order to be available to help my aunt.
She is incredibly difficult, never had children and nothing that anyone does for her is ever right or ever quite good enough. If you do something, like brush her hair or straighten her pillow it usually has to be redone because it wasn't right the first time. I swear she has OCD.
Sadly, she has caused problems for carers and nobody else in the family now bothers with her. She has always been difficult and forthright but has (or had) some lovely qualities and I have done so much for her over the years with pleasure.
I have been helping her for 35 years since she became widowed and I am almost 60 with a daughter and a grandchild and also an elderly father who depends solely on me.
I'd just like to know if I am alone in wishing for my aunt's peaceful passing, since she is in awful mental torment and frustration. I feel incredibly guilty for wishing this but then her quality of life is virtually non existent and she now appears to be losing her mind. My husband and I frequently have to sacrifice quality time together for my family's demands.
Is anyone else in a similar position please? This may sound selfish but I dread this going on for several more years, even a decade.

dalrymple23 Thu 18-Jul-24 16:53:40

Can you get the care package increased? To include the laundry and shopping and the allied care necessary?

I used to be a carer and did everything for my clients that you are currently doing and invariably more. We spoke with social services, health services of all hues ,organised hairdressing and other appointments. It is part of the job, as is dealing with difficult customers!

Don't forget, not all elderly people have any family who can help out. How do you think that they get shopping done?

YOu need to start putting yourself and your immediate family first. Go and visit auntie occasionally but not weekly. YOu will suffer from burn out.

First job is to speak to Social Services to increase the care package. Second job is to speak to the care agency. If the carers cannot deal with a difficult customer, they should not be doing the job. Maybe change agencies? The agency can also liaise with SS to say that more care is necessary.

Good luck

fancythat Thu 18-Jul-24 16:58:54

Nothing on the same scale as what you are dealing with.
An elderly aunt as well.

I ended up putting my foot down.
I was intrigued as what she would do next.
Answer, she tried to rope other people back in, who had already done as much for her as they were going to do.

She realised she was beaten.
She dropped her over the top demands of me.

It is up to you if she wish for her peaceful passing.