caregiver burn-out

Joe called my brother today to tell him that my mom had fallen again. She also had another near fall, but caught herself against a wall. Mike said that it sounded like Joe was upstairs whispering into his cell phone so that my mom and grandma wouldn't hear.

Yesterday the priest told mom that he thinks she should go to Hospice House. I expected that sort of advice from an authority figure to get her there by today. But her fear seems to be overpowering all her other faculties. Joe said that mom is afraid of Mike and I because she thinks we will "make her" go to Hospice House.

This is exactly the scenario that I didn't want to see play out when my mom went to Ottumwa and decided to do home hospice. I felt guilty that Joe and Louise would be are ones stuck between a rock and hard place, caregiving in crisis. I know how much it sucks, and it doesn't seem right that they are in that position.

Mike is calling the hospice staff tomorrow to find out if there is even a spot open in Hospice House. I'm praying that there will be, and that mom will see that going there is what's best for everyone.