Not losing myself and keeping my sanity is hard!

I care for my dad who is 94 and has dementia. My mother passed away 3 years ago, we sold the family home and moved in with my Dad. We moved in full time to care for him. It actually feels like having another child at times.

The tough things about caring are dealing with the incredible loss of short-term memory, managing his reality while trying to keep my own reality in check is really tough. For instance he does not remember my Mother at all he actually thinks he married some German woman in 1980?? The repetition of days is hard some days are like ground hog day, going over and over. Not loosing myself and keeping my sanity is hard!

Caring for someone who you have known your whole life who no longer remembers you, makes you feel like the person you are caring for is not a person you know or recognize. This is quite frustrating and some days I just want my Dad back.

When I am caring for him, I have to not be his daughter because then I can be kinder to him. I take a step back so I can deal with it more. The biggest day-to-day challenge is about being patient with him. I have to accept that I can’t control this I have to accept that it is what it is. I cannot wish for what is gone but live in the moment.

My life is all about making decisions that makes life for my Dad as easy as possible. For instance I had to find a house that was all one level so it was easier to move through.