Tag: parents resisting help

Trapped in the Waiting Room

I can’t yet report on Step 2. My goal is to be able to document how to manage through this, although I feel like I’m struggling to get out of the paper bag I’m currently trapped within.

I’m at a loss on this one. The follow-up appointment didn’t happen. In our first meeting, my dad handed over his car keys like he understood Dr. J’s concern. That lasted a total of about 8 hours. He has verbally reaffirmed that he is not interested in giving up driving and doesn’t believe he needs too.

My parents accepted the follow-up appointment with Dr. J., but were unwilling to fulfill the requests to bring a 3rd party to take notes as well as drive them. When the medical team found out they were planning on driving themselves, they canceled the meeting. They can’t approve of them driving and know that no meeting will be remembered if someone isn’t there with them to understand what is going on and discuss possible options.

The community keeps showing up with sleeves rolled up and ready to help. Sometimes they are gracious, sometimes not so much. We are working on how to manage through this roadblock they have effectively set up to avoid any changes.

If you have run into a similar situation – I’d love to hear your solutions. Requested.

Using your communities to help you assist your parents.

As you have read over the past few months, my parents need help but haven’t recognized or remembered the countless warning signs that they need more help to maintain their lifestyle. Together, they have propped each other up for several years and now they hit the tipping point – it crept up on them and now they are really unable to cognitively understand how off things have gotten.

When they showed up at the local hospital and couldn’t remember why they registered at the emergency room, the staff took notice. They had them come back the next day and both failed the mini-mental assessment performed by the doctor. Since then, the social worker met with me and now the hospital is working to put together a multi-disciplinary team to help my parents.

While my parents haven’t been heeding our concerns, we are hopeful they will listen to the medical team being assembled to help them.

My father-in-law was recently talking to my husband. He called after a blog post and was concerned for me. My husband chuckled and told me that his response was “How many of her blog posts have happy endings?”

I hope this is a move toward providing all of us with positive steps that can be taken if you ever find yourself in my shoes. Boosted.