Dealing with elderly parent while on the road

Padlin wrote:
Assisted Living, take Mom along, or forget the MH for a while.

This. Unfortunately. Even if she is in the best of mental health, leaving for that long isn't possible unless there are other reliable relatives to check in with her daily.

DH is the only child of an only child. His GP lived until 94, and we went through end of life with him. He was diagnosed with lung cancer 8 weeks before he died. Until about 3-4 months before he died he was spry, still drove and had his coffee groups. We are lucky that his decline went quickly but it was also heck to go thorough. He steadily became more demanding once he turned 91.

Opie431, that is exactly why I said you never know what the future holds. Go while you can.

Every time I see this I think I should answer but than think that I should not.
Here goes: A close friend of my mother could not go anywhere because FIL was dependent on them. They put off taking vacations, there RV sat in the yard unused after the first attempt. They decided they could not go because FIL would not let anyone come in and would not go to a nursing home for a few weeks They finally gave up and let their son use the RV until Dad died and they could go. Husband died before his father and they never got to go. She was very bitter because her husband put being a son before he put being a husband.

Probably no help at all.

Mom is lonely and infirm perhaps in many areas. She does miss you and she will use every game or guilt to get attention from you. perhaps she will enjoy traveling. Keeping her mind off her woes works just like it does for us. Doubt she will decide to get up and dance a jig but she might. Only you can decide. Mother, in the last few years was beyond what I could handle because of my on illnesses. I did what I had to for our Parents first and us second. They did that for my Sibblings and I. In both parents case they were beyond the scope of what you are talking about.
I met one RVer, I won't mention names that was taking care of his 93 year old Mother, at the time, on the road.

thanks to obama careless and higher prices i got to move my mom into my place.
i kinda like the thought about the shock coller and the hidden fence ??

but at least i have peace of mind knowing she is living in a safe place. has her freedom of movement. but soon will be loosing her plivelage to drive. ??

we do what we can for family.

.

not sure why the fancy icons did not show up? only got ???? instead.

See if there is any neighbors or friends close by who could check on her ... I say this because the couple across the road from me take off in their camper multiple times a year. When they go, I check their house and mail and also stop by to "chat" with their elderly mother who lives a few miles away. I bring her groceries and sometimes take her places like Walmart (she loves the electric carts, although she is a bit dangerous and is apt to run you over if you get in her way) or out to eat. We have become good friends over the years. :)

I know there are agencies / organizations who can also help. Or you could hire a "sitter" who could check on her. Maybe have them stop by once every week or two even when you are in town so they seem more like a friend.

dcason wrote:
Uh, please don't beat me but we have seen people bring the in laws on their adventures...:B That would depend on mobility and your unit.
Donna

If the elderly are truely in need of assistance and care, it is dificult in a home environment and nearly impossible on the road. Leaving their doctors and support network behind is stressful on both them and you.

Uh, please don't beat me but we have seen people bring the in laws on their adventures...:B That would depend on mobility and your unit.
Donna

Having a motor home can be an asset in taking care of an end of life parent. Arrange to have a 20 amp circuit near to your motor home parking space at the parents house. Having your own space will assist you greatly in the months ahead as you take care. Use the home care workers, they are high maintenance but provide very necessary services. Consider assisted living early enough in the process. It is very expensive but if you can't provide the care yourself or convince siblings to share, maybe forgoing that inheritance is the thing to do. When you get to hospice care do not delay the pain medications.
Been there done that it is not easy

Well I am almost 70 and DW is almost 68....we don't consider ourselves elderly but, Our son said when we get older he is going to put an invisible fence around his back yard and put the shock collars on our neck so we won't get in the road.

Seriously, we both lost our parents very young so we won't face this problem. I wish you the best of luck and I do envy you to have elderly parents. Love them and cherish them they gave you life. May God bless you and your parents.