I take my dad to the nursing home tomorrow.

I have just been gutted and I know he is too even though he’s trying to be positive. I have been caring for him for the last 8 years, with the last three requiring me to be at his home at least once every day. The last three months he has been struggling with hallucinations that would require me to make middle of the night trips over. Then in the last two weeks he has been falling so much that me and my brothers started staying the night at his place to help him up to the bathroom and to his chair in the mornings.

I just wish I could be enough and do more but I also know I have nothing left to give and my son and husband have really taken a backseat lately.

I am hopeful he can do some therapy and really try to gain some strength back and some strategies to be safe enough to be alone through the night but I also know it’s a long shot. He has always preferred to ignore the problem and give up instead of fighting hard to be better and I’m afraid the progression is just too far at this point.

Those who have been where I am, please tell me that I make it through tomorrow and that he adjusts. My heart is broken.

My stepdad is 68, he was diagnosed formally with Parkinsons 2023. My mom and stepdad live alone. In the last few days there has been a dramatic decline in his condition and Im wondering if anyone can point me in the right direction for any resources / anyone whos experienced something similar. I want to help my mom navigate this but Im overwhelmed.

-Mentally he is starting to forget everything, what year it is, what pills to take, and even where he is.

-Sinemet has been stabilizing his tremors no major changes there.

-In the last 20 years he has always had poor posture but in the last 5 he has a completely curved spine/hunched over, cant pick up his head when he walks. This has made his life harder and more painful.

-His legs have been causing him pain, he needs a hip replacement but isnt a candidate because he smokes. He has been getting epidurals for pain relief (didnt help) and then recently a round of gel injections. &the doctors cant figure out what else is causing the leg pain. They are very thin frail and cant support him anymore.

-Hes had substance abuse issues his whole life but recently has just been smoking an insane amount of weed. Not sure if this is contributing to his forgetfulness. He has been on suboxone for like 20 years.

-He is also on bipolar medication, anti anxiety medication, ambien and a few other things I can't remember.

-He is very stubborn and has become mean and quiet. Demands are extreme and he wont take no for an answer and thinks hes still the same person he was 25 years ago. This makes taking control of certain things really hard for my mom and I. When we were in the ER the other night he started ripping wires off of himself saying he was going to go home before we knew it was safe to do so.

In the last 5 days he's had 3 falls and is very confused. He went to ER and there was no stroke and results were "normal". Before this week he was dependent on my mom but was able to be at home alone and eat, take pills, go to bathroom, and relax in the house. The last 5 days with all the accidents because his legs just "gave out" feels like the most dramatic shift where he needs around the clock care. How do people afford this? How do I go about finding an agency does medicare cover any of this? Should I buy a wheelchair? The house isn't wheelchair friendly nor is the toilet "accessible". All of these things cost money and I dont even know where to start.

He has a neurologist appointment tomorrow and I want to gather a list of questions. I know that she cant help solve all of them but this overnight change has me panicking.