Since my mother didn't cook anymore and my father required a low-salt diet, I hired a personal chef (see Shilloh link on right) to come to their house and make meals that they could freeze and then microwave. My mother refused to let anyone come in and clean the house, so she did the minimal amount of cleaning in between taking care of my father and sleeping.
My father began to need more than basic care as his disease became progressively worse. He couldn't eat by himself, he couldn't go to the bathroom by himself and he couldn't walk without help. Sometimes he would fall. I went to New York to teach my mother how to use a Depends and use bed liners. I got my father a walker and showed my mother how to help him walk. I looked for resources that were available to them to help them around the house. When my father got sick, he went to the hospital, a rehab, and back to the hospital. This time I convinced my mother to let me put him in a nursing home.
A few months later, my mother had a stroke. Now I had to make decisions for both of them.
Suggested Way to Help with Bills
(Don't forget you are not responsible for any one else's bills but your own)
- Write out checks and have loved one sign checks
- Have bills forwarded to you
- Pay Online
- Automatic deductions from Bank Account
- Pay by phone