Setting Boundaries with Aging Parents

  1. Figure out what keeps you hooked.
  2. Ask yourself what saying no means.
  3. Determine if the request is something you, and only you, can fulfill.
  4. Sit down and discuss with your parents what you can do and what you can’t (or won’t) do.

Why do elderly people get so nasty?

Seniors throw temper tantrums for a whole host of reasons. Often, it’s a result of the personality changes brought on by Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia. Certain prescription medications can have negative side effects or interact with one another, causing mood swings and irritability.

How are siblings supposed to take care of each other?

You have your own family to take care of, and have a job, so when are you supposed to find the time to care for your mom’s needs or take your dad shopping, while at the same time dealing with the demands of your own family and work responsibilities? In such situations, it’s common for a caregiver to feel alone and abandoned.

Why does my sister live with her mother?

My middle aged sister has been living with my 85 year old mother for many years. She had been working part time but got laid off. We are worried that she is overly controlling my mother to set herself up as full time caregiver and to isolate my mother from the rest of the family.

How are my brothers taking care of my mother?

I also take care of my mother, I am the youngest of four. I have three older brothers and I don’t get any help from them. At one point I did ask the oldest brother to talk to the other two brothers to see if they could trade off weekends so I could have sometime for myself. He said he would take care of it, it never happened.

When do siblings live in the same community?

It’s even more frustrating when other family members live in the same community. In many cases, the older child or the one that lives closest to the parent is often unofficially chosen to be the one to care for their parents, but this is unfair and can cause family difficulties and riffs. Sibling rivalry and resentment can often develop.