Going through burnout
Hello everyone. I recently joined this group because I (35F) am the primary caregiver for my mom (68). My husband and I moved in with her when she first started experiencing memory issues. We knew it was coming, but she received her official diagnosis in January. It’s been good for her because she gets to care for my 2 year old, and she absolutely loves him.
I don’t know much about the stages of Alzheimer’s, but I am in control of my mom’s appointments and finances. I take her most places except to the grocery store right outside of the neighborhood. She has very bad short term memory loss, but she can still care for herself hygiene wise.
My dad was diagnosed with early-onset Lewy Bodies at 52 and passed when he turned 60. My mom was his primary caregiver, so we have been through something similar, but different if you know what I mean.
I have a very demanding full time job where I have had to work in the heat almost daily for the last few months. We will have more help soon, but it has been tough working 8-10 hour days and 4-5 hours on most weekends and then coming home to get my son fed and ready for bed.
My mom is getting to the point where she wants me with her every night because she is scared by herself. So I will usually go in after I put my son to bed and watch a movie with her. She usually falls asleep before the movie is over, so I leave after.
My whole day is just so filled with caring for others that I barely have any time for myself. My husband works until midnight, so he helps right before he goes to work, but I am at work by the time he gets up.
I am taking care of my mental health the best I can. I see a therapist often and I am on medication. But man, it has been tough. I am going to try to look for a local support group to join.
My mom is just a person who has to have everything her way, that’s how it always was growing up. She is a good mom, but she has faults like everyone. Couple that with Alzheimer’s, and it’s just been frustrating to say the least.
I think the biggest problem is I have no where for that frustration to go, because she can’t help a lot of it. Finding an outlet has been hard. I feel like I’m always just angry or exhausted, and I know how bad it can be if you bottle things up. I want to go into one of those rage rooms and just go to town.
What has been a good outlet for you?