I am a New Member at Similar Worlds

@iMystery I'm a full time live-in caregiver for my grandparents, who are nearing the ends of their lives. I've been doing this for about three months. There are other situations too, but that's the one I deal with every day. I can't leave the house for very long unless someone comes to give me a break. Cabin fever is a real thing lol.

@Ophelia I admire you as that's not easy. You're essentially putting your own life on hold. Thank goodness for the internet which allows us to keep in touch even if we're prisoners by circumstance. Are your grandparents lucid or do you have to deal with dementia? The latter is exhausting and heart breaking.

@michaelhh That you for the kind words. They are both what I'd call semi-lucid, although my grandmother is declining pretty quickly. It is heartbreaking, as you said. I've done this type of care before, but never for family.

@Ophelia Our next door neighbour took in her uncle (over 90) and he's reduced to to suicidal thoughts over 10 weeks of sheer bloody-minded behaviour. They're not convinced it's dementia - it seems to be an act, or partially so, as he winked at my wife several times while they were talking about his problems (often taking the commode to bits and just wetting the bed and smearing poo around, making three to four loads of washing necessary every morning). He's due to go into a nursing home today for 'two weeks holiday', but our neighbours are NOT having him back! They took pity on him as he wasn't able to look after himself properly but caring for him has affected their health.