My sister and I are overwhelmed caring for our mom . we don’t know what to do next.
She’s 51, and her health declined significantly after COVID. Since then, she’s developed symptoms similar to dementia. My sister and I (both in our mid-20s) have been her main caregivers, but it’s becoming mentally and physically overwhelming.
Her condition is getting worse. She wanders constantly, leaves the house unsupervised (even in winter without proper clothing (she’s gotten frostbite before), and isn’t aware of her surroundings. She walked into the middle of roads/highways. We’ve tried locking and barricading doors, but she finds other ways out through the patio or even breaking windows.
She can’t sit still and gets bored very quickly, so day programs haven’t worked. She’ll leave unless someone is watching her every second. We feel like we’re running out of options . at this point and we can’t keep her safe
She’s been denied the GEM program because she’s too young, and her psychiatrist hasn’t been very helpful. We’ve looked into home care/personal support, but we can’t afford it.
She’s on SAID, and we’re trying to get support through CPAS, but it’s limited. She’s also been on a long-term care waitlist for about 2 years. We feel like we’re running out of options at this point, and we’re no longer able to keep her safe. What other options are available, particularly safe, supervised care when we’re no longer able to manage this at home?