Newbie Carer Spinning

Hello. I found this website today and joined.

I have been caring for my elderly Mother for 6mths now. This is my first reach out. I feel like I need signposting to training and support. Currently, I have a virus so actually have time for myself to seek it!

I visit my Mum 3-4 a week. It takes me 3-4 hrs to travel there by buses. I am nearly 61 and my Mum is 78. I have been trying to encourage her to eat and drink healthily. I phone her twice daily. I have also sorted a TV and contacted her housing association re any jobs needed. She has mobility issues and forgets things. We have shared appointments, but also a night out.

We were estranged for a few years. My Uncle found her and encouraged me to contact her. I took one look and went straight over in a taxi. Ever since then I’ve been doing what I can. It’s hard and I feel really out of my depth.

So, as my intro goes…I guess I’m looking for help, signposting and advice.

I don’t work and have issues myself, but I want to do my best by her. It just feels like I have been spinning with nowhere to go or help.

Thanks for reading

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Welcome, that’s too much for you to tackle on your own.
To start with
Can you tell us what is wrong with mum and exactly what she NEEDS you to do for her. Not what she wants you to do.
Why didn’t you see her for years?
How far away is she? How long does it take by taxi?
What health issues do you have?

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Hello @SpinningNewbie A BIG warm hug of welcome. I’m so glad you found us and you’re reaching out.

I hope you’re getting better from your virus.

It sounds like you’re doing a LOT of travelling to get to see your Mum. Have you explored agency support near her to have carers go in? Has she had a needs assessment done?

Let us know a little more about her situation and health - if you’re not exactly sure about her needs, like @bowlingbun asked, we can offer ideas on priorities. What services, if any do the housing association offer?

Something I want to say up front - because you mentioned being estranged, you don’t have to care for your Mum. Everyone has the right to say it’s not for them!

Considering your travel time, it could even be a better use of your time to organise carers and do all the paperwork to get her access to more care support instead of you travelling all that way… If you can share more about her everyday needs, health and if she can pay for private care or needs to access financial support, several of our friends in the forum can offer their experience…

Sometimes we can feel judged and socially/morally obliged to do the caregiving ourselves…but you’ll find many of us who’ve been/are carers know there are MANY different versions of being a carer - at a distance, from another country even, …there’s quite a bit of admin and coordination and it’s still caring!

Here’s a couple of Carers UK guides and tools: Looking after someone guide | Carers UK

You may want to give the helpline a call to get some 1 to 1 advice especially if you need finance information: Helpline and other support | Carers UK

If you’ve become ill, it’s clear you’re run down and exhausted. Please take care of yourself - you deserve care too! hugs

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Lots of elderly people are too proud to apply for benefits, but they are not charity! Everyone who works pays into the system so that if they or their loved ones fall ill, they will have appropriate support. Sadly, the language used by the current government is not helpful! If mum is on the basic pension, nothing else, then I’m sure she could be claiming more. Our CUK helpline made me £50 a week better off, years ago, they are very good, but I’m sure over the holiday they may take a little longer than usual to deal with individual queries. There are many people including myself who know the basic rules from their own experiences and we are happy to share them. Alternatively, if you search for “Paying for Care” and look at the .gov pages there’s lots of information there too.
If you and mum were estranged for many years, that means you were not there for her, but more importantly she wasn’t there for you either! It’s probably quite a complicated relationship as a result?
Don’t allow yourself to be manipulated into doing things you don’t want to. Especially with regard to the costs of travelling to see mum. The journeys are for her benefit and she should be paying. You should not be out of pocket as a result.

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Good evening,

Not sure how good you are with computers but this will show you are if Mumsy is eligible for anything else - https://benefits-calculator.turn2us.org.uk/

Our housing associations have a tenancy support scheme for young people and older people so they can have someone pop round once in a while to offer help and support with basic things. You might wish to contact them on behalf of your Mum and explain her situation. Her local Council’s housing options / homelessness team may also have some form of extra tenacy support. I know ours does.

Good luck!

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Thank you all for the replies and things to look into. I really appreciate it.

Mum has had a hip operation but needs another. Walking is laboured. She was trying with a stick at first, but I helped her get a seated stroller. We went shopping a few weeks back and she’s now tried scooters. Loves them, so that may be next on the cards. Mum had a couple of cancers removed November. She takes many tablets for various ailments too.

Mum is an independent lady. She thought she was going to be looked after by my brother so sold her house and moved with them. Her choice was to sign the property over. Covid years and them getting on with life had her feeling unwanted and lonely. She decided to get help with a housing association and was given a bungalow. She hates it. Too alone, too far away and not what she’s used to. I’m in a HA property too, so I get some of her points re repairs ie we put in for garden steps to be altered and a handrail added September so she is safer putting washing out, it’s still not done! Regarding care or other carers, she doesn’t want any. I guess a fear she’ll be put in a home. I comprised a list yesterday of things she should have ie seat in bathroom to shower. I got to 15!

Mum would like to move to be nearer me. We joined a homefinder site, but even though I’m a little savvy, I find it difficult. There don’t seem to be any properties any way. That would help being closer.

Our relationship is better. We are both very similar. I have become Mother figure in a way. I encourage her to drink water and try to eat something on our daily calls. She’s fussy about meat, so now I am changing tactics by offering to cook her evening meals with her own stuff. Mum is also a bit if a hoarder- overbuys to compensate not having much I her early years. So once we get into the freezer items that may help her. She just says she doesn’t want to bother as she hates it there. To be honest she does have THE tiniest kitchen, compounded by no full use of space due to her many biscuits and cakes taking room!

Please don’t think its all doom and gloom. We have laughter moments via messenger, sometimes even in person. We natter a good hour or more each time. We went to a show and just to see her face light up was amazing and very rewarding. I’ve planned two more nights out Feb and May.

With her Forgetfulness, she mostly remembers after a while. My brother keeps banging on about getting POA so that she doesn’t go against her wishes and she’s put in a home. I don’t know what to do about all of that because I’m just trying to care for her daily, keeping her upbeat, encouraging good habits or doing chores ect. She likes reading and is not keen on others ha. So my suggestion of a coffee morning isn’t going down too well.

Though I am a caring, protective person by nature I am finding it hard. Mostly logistics of travelling and not being near. I knew I was getting run down so the germs are no surprise. I tend to visit one day and try to rest/ watch comedy the next to “ balance “ things.

We both have copd and asthma too.

I guess I need to read more on here. I’d like her to have an assessment if only to try shift her needs being met.

Can I just thank you all again for your inputs. I am hoping this year will be happier and easier, especially for her. Thank you

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You definitely need to sort out POA as soon as possible. It used to be possible to have it signed in the morning, then use it in the afternoon, but now that’s change. They need to be done long before they are needed. Frankly I’m dismayed that mum gave her house away and now won’t even pay for a taxi for you!

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@SpinningNewbie
Welcome to the forum.
Please let me explain my situation regarding power of attorney.
My late husband suffered strokes, vascular dementia and other health issues. We had separate bank accounts as that arrangement worked really well for us and our family. Then.. the dementia started setting in. Eventually I said I think we should get something signed so we can help each other with the banks as he admitted he was struggling. He agreed. When I mentioned it the following week he had no idea what I was talking about. So I had to go down the court of protection route . It’s a very intrusive situation and very costly. They want to know what every pound is spent on .
Power of attorney is so much better. I could go into more detail but won’t overwhelm you. Please consider power of attorney asap. I have it set up now with my 2 daughters because I don’t want them through what I did just to look after my lovely husband.

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@SpinningNewbie Thanks for sharing more about your situation.

A quick note to share something @Melly1 had shared with someone else: https://homeshareuk.org/real-homeshare-stories/

I’ve no personal experience of homesharing and I’ve no idea if that’s possible in an HA but just passing on in case it could be an option.