Comments on: Parenting our Parents

By: Mama BoK

Mama BoK — Wed, 24 Oct 2007 08:04:04 +0000

Sorry to hear about your dad..! hang in there.. and keep that chin up..! it ain’t easy.. but we all try to do our best.. and i’m sure he knows too.. *hugs*

By: WMD

WMD — Fri, 19 Oct 2007 16:11:58 +0000

Just wanna say thanks for sharing it. This is one of the things that I think about pretty often these days.

Which means you are getting old too…

By: Mommy to Chumsy

Mommy to Chumsy — Fri, 19 Oct 2007 14:27:43 +0000

Thanks for posting this, though it made me wanna cry Reminds me of my late father-in-law. Wish we spent more time with him, taking him around instead of grumbling about it

Thats just human nature isn’t it, to forget to appreciate or are too busy to appreciate when they are around.

By: Judy

Judy — Wed, 17 Oct 2007 22:09:01 +0000

I feel a bit sad reading this. I miss my parents. It is so nice to be able to spend time with your dad and though as you said he doesn’t talk much but the fact of seeing him enjoy his food and company is such a joy.

God bless your dad, you and your family.

Thank you Judy.

By: Daniel

Daniel — Wed, 17 Oct 2007 09:30:03 +0000

It is very true. It’ll happen to us too.

It is life’s cycle.

By: sharlydia

sharlydia — Wed, 17 Oct 2007 09:10:07 +0000

This is so real and I know one day it will probably happen to me too coz both my parents are old now…especially my dad who has hypertention problem.

I hope I could be as patient as you when it comes to my turn to be parent to my parents.

Yes, my dad had hypertention too and a stroke changed him overnight.

By: AM

AM — Wed, 17 Oct 2007 09:05:34 +0000

Hi! Thanks for the links on dementia.

It seems to me that each dementia sufferer presents a different set of problems for their family/carers.

My mom is perfectly able to do everything for herself - the problem is she refused to. Getting her to bathe, change her clothes, wash her hair, take her medicine etc is a daily struggle. And while your dad is generally quiet, my mom is argumentative which makes things all the more difficult for the family, esp my brother who lives with her.

My poor sis-in-law is the most harassed, b’coz mom thinks she’s trying to poison her with her prescription medicine. Thankfully for us, my sis-in-law is shouldering this responsibility well with her sanity intact!

It never gets easier, but I believe if everyone is supportive of each other instead of trying to evade the responsibility, we can minimise the build-up of resentment. On my part, I try to give my brother & his family a break every now and then during the school holidays so that they can have some “time-off”. And it is during such “breaks” that I fully understand how emotionally difficult it can be to care for a person with worsening dementia.

We’re just lucky that money is not a contributing issue to an already complex situation.

I hope you will remember to take good care of yourself too in the midst of caring for you dad. I wish you well.

Thanks for sharing your perspective. Â

By: sesame

sesame — Wed, 17 Oct 2007 08:14:17 +0000

I feel sad reading this.

I felt sad writing it.

By: Vien

Vien — Wed, 17 Oct 2007 06:20:11 +0000

I bet it is tough and I would like to emphatize but words are words. Hang in there, dear.

Thank you Vien for always being here for me.

By: mott

mott — Wed, 17 Oct 2007 06:14:18 +0000

*glums*

Know what u mean. My granma has been staying over. and I’m not the most patient of persons!

Yes, sometimes if its a long term thing like living together and facing this on a daily basis, our patience runs thin and then we feel guilty….