Leela Vinod’s 82-year-old mother has Alzheimer’s. She stays with Leela’s eldest sister. Her sister is married and has no children. She dotes on their mother. Her sister is extremely possessive of her mother. She doesn’t like any of her other siblings taking care of her mother. That has put her under a lot of mental strain. So much so that she has even forgotten how to behave with others.
An Alzheimer’s patient should be treated like a child. That means however much, others are willing to take care of the mother the daughter, who is taking of the mother currently, will never be satisfied.
It cannot be assumed that this behaviour can be changed because it is a nature that has come from years of habit. This may require psychological counselling or sometimes the help of a psychiatrist. One will have to discuss it with other siblings and make the right decision.
This is a condition that many caregivers who take care of Alzheimer’s patients can relate to. This is called caregiver stress. Initially, it will be stressful. But going forward you tend to internalize this and end up developing a possessive streak.
In your sister’s case, the fact that she has no one else is also relevant here. So it is important that the eldest daughter be given proper treatment. Or else it can progress into some other medical condition.
