We Were Worried About the Falls . . .

My mother was 81 and living alone. She began to fall frequently, and had other health issues. My husband suggested that she move in with us so she would not be alone, and someone would always be there if she fell—we were worried about the falls. At the time she was able to care for herself and do normal tasks.

She moved in with us in February and my husband passed away in March. It was a shock and I am still grieving. My mother did very well for several months, but she began to have severe episodes of dizziness. She could not stand, she had nausea frequently, and could no longer drive. Her doctor could find nothing that could be causing the problem. Eight months after my husband’s death mom had a fall and her hip was broken. She had surgery within a few hours but had a stroke during or soon after surgery. She cannot walk, her speech is slurred, she cannot think of words and her memory has become poor. This is how I became a caregiver.

I am her sole caregiver 24/7. I have absolutely no help. I am isolated, depressed, and exhausted. I don’t know where to turn to get relief. I did get an ADT emergency button for her so I can at least go to the store without having to beg for someone to come sit with her. I never in my life thought that being able to go to the store would be the highlight of my week.