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HAVE YOU TRIED GOING THRU AN AGENCY, FOR HELP? AT LEAST AN AGENCY COULD REPLACE SOMEONE IF AND WHEN THEY DO START TAKING ADVANTAGE, OR STOP/FORGET YOUR NEEDS. SOMETIMES SENIOR CENTERS HAVE MEMBERS (MAINLY WIDOWS) CLOSE TO 60 THAT STILL DRIVE-- ARE VERY HEALTHY AND THEY WILL WORK FOR A LOT LESS MONEY FOR A PLACE TO LIVE . THE SENIOR CENTER PROVIDES REFERENCES TOO. DITTO, IF YOU BELONG TO A CHURCH OR CLUB--SOMETIMES THERE ARE HEALTHY SENIOR MEMBERS (OR YOUNGER ONES NOW, OUT OF WORK) WHO ARE DIVORCED, WIDOWED, LONESOME AND WILLING TO WORK JUST FOR ROOM AND BOARD? MY BROTHER IN LAW HAD CANCER AND NEEDED ASSISTANCE THE LAST SIX MONTHS AND THEY CALLED THE LOCAL UNIVERSITY WHO IN TURN SENT SEVERAL MEDICAL STUDENTS TO CHOOSE FROM WHO WERE WILLING TO WORK, IN EXCHANGE FOR FREE ROOM RENT. (IN BETWEEN CLASSES, OF COURSE) AND THAT WORKED OUT VERY WELL. I CALLED HOSPICE, FOR HELP WHEN MY SISTER IN LAW WAS 80 ALONE (ALZHEIMERS) AND NEEDED ASSISTANCE AND HOSPICE ARRANGED FOR SOMEONE TO ASSIST HER--AS I WAS TOO FAR AWAY AND SHE HAD NO CHILDREN OR NEIGHBORS TO CALL ON. HOSPICE CHECKED IN ON HER AND THEM-FOR OVER A YEAR UNTIL SHE MOVED INTO A NURSING HOME--WHERE SHE LIVES NOW, CLOSER TO ME AND I CAN MONITOR HER WELL BEING. MY HUSBAND HAS HAD PARKINSON, FOR 10 YEARS AND CAN NO LONGER WALK (BECAUSE OF TWO FAILED KNEE OPERATIONS PLUS THE GAIT PROBLEM AND NEITHER CAN HE SPEAK VERY LOUD ANYMORE OR DO MOST OF THE EVERYDAY THINGS HE DID 10 YEARS AGO AND AFTER 10 YEARS AS A CAREGIVER I TOO, LOSE MY COOL --SO EITHER SIDE OF THE FENCE IS DIFFICULT OVER THE LONG TERM AND NEITHER SIDE IS CLOSE TO PERFECT. RELATIVES SHOULD/COULD HELP--BUT BETWEEN SHOULD AND COULD AND WON'T OR CAN'T IS MOST OF THE TIME EITHER VERY DIFFICULT OR IMPOSSIBLE--FOR MANY REASONS SO YOU JUST HAVE TO TRY EVERY METHOD POSSIBLE AS OFTEN AS YOU NEED TO DO IT, YOURSELF. IF YOU SUSPECT ELDER ABUSE--CALL THE LOCAL COUNCIL ON AGING AND THEY WILL ALSO SEND SOMEONE TO YOUR HOME TO INVESTIGATE AND SEND YOU ASSISTANCE. GOOD LUCK, [log in to unmask] (mailto:[log in to unmask]) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn