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Hi all — I’ve helped my parents (86 and 87) for years, alone. I have 1 brother; he doesn’t help. I know many people (especially daughters) (like me) are in the same lovely boat.


I hired 24-hour live-in caregivers at home. My brother and I live in NY. My parents live in MI.


I helped my parents in many ways.


Both my brother and I are POA. (We are POA independently).


My brother “fell off the face of the Earth”, as soon as they became frail. Stopped visiting: otherwise he would be asked to help.


He last visited our parents years ago. All caring was dumped on me (finding agencies, interviewing, etc., etc.) (you all know similar, even if differing, details).


(There is no arguing/no fighting in the family. He just doesn’t want to help our frail parents.) (He calls every 6 months: again, so he’s not asked to help).


I have 2 questions please.


1. Does anyone know the mobile number of Karma? If yes, please give it to me asap.


2. A less important question: Has anyone succeeded in transforming their anger with siblings, into something positive?

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Anger in this case is a useless emotion and a waste of your mental energy.
He does not care if you are angry,
Your anger has no effect on him,
You are the one carrying the heavy burden of anger, he caries none.

You can do one of 2 things.
Just forget that he exists and carry on and do what you need to do to care for your parents.
You could even ask him to withdraw as joint POA so that you do not have to deal with him when it comes to making decisions.
OR
You can withdraw as POA and let him take over. This would force him to step up. (But what effect would that have on your parents.)

Forget Karma.
Just do the best that you can for your parents. If you do that then YOU can rest easy knowing that you have done all that you can.

Not to make excuses but there are some people that just can not handle watching declines happen. It makes aging and death a reality and some can not take that. There may be things going on that you are unaware of. If that is the case maybe he also is doing the best that he can when he calls every 6 months. Again not making excuses ..there are not just 2 sides to a story, somewhere between the two sides is the reality.
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hellokarma Mar 2022
I appreciate a lot your answer!! Thanks!!!

Just to clarify:
—We are POA independently
—There’s nothing going on, on his side. He has no trouble seeing decline. He himself says so. He just doesn’t want to help/nothing/nada.
—Our parents helped us both financially a lot, during our lives. Getting our businesses started, etc.
—We were given everything in life. Love. A great education, etc.
—My parents are very disappointed in his selfishness.

Let me definitely try your suggestions:

1. “He does not care if you are angry”
You are absolutely right.

Anger waste of energy.
Right.
I’ll now breathe in and out. Release the anger to him.

2. I “can forget that he exists”

I like that idea.
I mean, of course he exists. But I won’t think about him. We talked for the 1st time in months today (by chance our voices/phonecall same time to our parents). I feel nothing towards him. I used to love him so much.

I don’t like his values at all now. For this reason, I feel nothing for him.

3. I tried to withdraw from the POA, to force him to help (even minimally) (I’ve already done all the work, setting up in-home care, solving many other problems).

He continued to abandon our parents. I can’t, won’t let my parents suffer. So I help (but hired even more caregivers, so that I have less to do).

4. “Forget Karma”

OK. I’ve never thought of forgetting Karma.

But why not. Let’s give it a try.

Henceforth, I try to forget Karma. I was hoping for mobile number, but I’ll try amnesia (regarding my friend Karma).

5. “Just do the best that you can for your parents. If you do that then YOU can rest easy knowing that you have done all that you can.”

THANK YOU.
This is true. I have ZERO regret. I did, do, my best — towards my parents and towards myself/my own life. I’m equally committed to helping my life.

6. I WILL TRY ALL YOUR SUGGESTIONS. Thank you, dear Grandma1954!!!!! I especially like point 1 and 4.

Somehow liberating to forget Karma.


…my screen name is Hello Karma…

Maybe instead, it can be:

Peace
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You are correct in this being a familiar story. My brother and I didn't speak for 3 years. I finally decided that the anger was eating me alive and of no help to the situation. My brother and I speak and do see each other on holidays, but I will never forgive him for not helping take care of mom. I will never forgive him for the stress that all of this caused my marriage. I will never forgive him for thinking that his time is more valuable than mine. It is what it is and there may come a day when he needs someone to take care of him and maybe no one will choose to help him and he will reflect on this. But he is so full of himself, I doubt it. LOL

You just have to take the high road. That is really my only advice. You can't change anyone. I consider my brother a "casual when he feels like it" visitor to mom. Once I removed his relevance and importance in my head, it made things easier for me. When he made the decision not to help his own mother, he mattered less to me....that's really the only way I can explain it.

He doesn't matter. You matter and your mom matters. Put your energy there.

Sending hugs your way!
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San42756 Mar 2022
Thank you for your post. Wow! In the end he doesn’t matter, only my mother matters. I have been threatened, bullied, intimidated by my brother. 6 years he was never around, now that moms house is being sold for her care, I am POA, he’s upset because his “inheritance” is on the line. His words, not mine. It’s sad, but mom is the only one that matters. Sorry you are going through this also. It’s hard. Hugs
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HelloKarma, the number for karma is 1800-IN-YOUR-NEXT-LIFE but that's because Im Hindu and I hope my stupid brother's lack of care for my mother comes to haunt him in his next life. I also curse and chew him out in the car when Im alone.

Anyway, last year I was like you - very angry and upset . The Forum-ers here and my husband made me realize that the anger was affecting me and not reaching my brother (literally). He's in another country and very laidback anyway, so all my pleas for his help just slides off his back. After much arguing & begging he finally did send some money to cover mom's expensive private insurance here.

I'm constantly hoping my mom gets lucky, goes in her sleep & that will be the end of any ties with brother. And to think, he was mom's favorite when we were kids.

Like Alva says about writing, I try to keep a gratitude journal with pluses and minuses - the minus is always brother not helping but I've managed to jot down lots of pluses to drown out my brother's silence. Also, there are tons of others here who have idiot siblings not helping, so I know Im not alone, which helps a bit.

Let it all out here...and I will buy your book too..heh..heh...
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AlvaDeer Mar 2022
Weary, I am so glad to see your post because I well remember times when you were so upset. I think Forum helps all of us who are here trying to help others. I came to it just reeling with anxiety and pain when my brother was newly diagnosed. I felt like I really got to know people on a personal level. Some have moved on off of the Forum with time, and I miss them still. What a great community this is.
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I have come to realize that my anger towards siblings is actually a far greater burden than being the sole caregiver to an aging parent with dementia and other health issues. That said...I have not yet been successful at overcoming my anger, but I have lowered my expectations so that I'm less disappointed. They do literally nothing (I live with the parent so I expect to do most of it).

These days I'm grieving the loss of a parent who is still living, siblings who aren't who I thought they were, "family" as I knew it which simply does not exist, my freedom/identity, 5 years of my life and counting, my own mental health because it's hanging on by a thread even tho I've never had mental health issues before...and various other losses which would probably sound trivial but they add up.

One sibling enjoys their retirement. The other is semi-retired, travels and has an active/full life. I work full time (remotely) and I would give anything for a break. But my LO is not ready for outside help (refuses), and my siblings blame their lack of involvement on me.

I try not to dwell on the anger. But it's always there. More painful is the sadness. When you beg for help from people who are supposed to care, revealing that you're "not okay" and they still refuse, it hurts to realize you matter so little. And your LO loses out.

Working on all of it.
One.Day.At.A.Time.
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hellokarma Mar 2022
Hi Sandy!!

“my siblings blame their lack of involvement on me”

That is awful and EXTREMELY manipulative.

You see, they have to somehow justify why they’re not helping (when I say helping, I don’t mean someone should help 24/7. Most of these awful siblings don’t even help 1 minute) (when I say helping, I mean help —— in some way. There are thousands of ways.)

Who wants to admit:
“Dear mom and pop, the truth is I don’t give a sh*t what happens to you. You’re suffering? So what. I’ll pretend to care a bit, otherwise you’ll disinherit me. You survived the emergency?? Shoot. I’ll have to wait longer for inheritance.”

(Not every sibling thinks like this, of course.)

But who wants to admit they’re an awful person?

Much better to blame someone else:
like you, Sandy. Let’s blame Sandy for us not helping.

But the reality is that there are many ways to help, which don’t involve you Sandy at all. Did they do it? Of course not.

Why not? Because you were never the cause Sandy.

“When you beg for help from people who are supposed to care, revealing that you're "not okay" and they still refuse, it hurts to realize you matter so little.”

As long as their life is ok, that’s all that matters.

“They do literally nothing”

Exactly.
Typical.
Common.

Dear Sandy,

This is not good (you said, “I have not yet been successful at overcoming my anger”) because now they’re two of us.

No, no.
We must listen to people here on this forum :).

Anger is a waste of energy.

(I would add, unless you can use it to propel you towards something awesome. Sometimes huge anger can create amazing success, because you use it as motivation.)

BUT, what we have, is the bad kind of anger, that eats you up.

Justified anger. But bad for us.

Let’s let it go.

:)

And if ever (you never know) someone does post Karma’s mobile number…

Well, hopefully I’ll already be smiling happily and have forgotten…

Karma calls.

HelloKarma:
Hi! You have reached HelloKarma.

Karma:
This is very confusing. I’m Karma. Hello.

HelloKarma:
No way! Get outta here! You’re KarmaHello?

Karma:
No…! I’m Karma.

HelloKarma:
Well, how nice to finally meet you. I don’t really need you anymore.
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You did right by your parents. I am sorry you feel anger at not receiving help from your brother. Don't allow the negative feelings to infect your life.
I have been disowned by my only older sibling. I did all the caretaking while she lived her life in other states. Both parents now deceased. Her response when I told her I did not want her to come live with me - "You have always been jealous of me. You are a hypocrite." She has huge debt, she ran off to Algeria to get married to an Algerian half her age, now she lives alone in California in debt. I did offer her to come join me and then I realized my house is way too small for the both of us. A bungalow - Only 1 bedroom. 720 square feet. I started having really bad anxiety attacks. So I told her not to come. That quote fom her to date is my last contact with her. It breaks my heart but being 73 years old I finally learned no matter how you try to keep family members happy in the long run you must do what is right for you. I feel no anger towards her. I just feel sad that us both being in our seventies she is throwing temper tantrums like a small child. Her problem. I had to sell my mother's and my home of 48 years to pay my mother's debts, funeral, probate fees. I went through probate of my mother's estate with no help from my sister. Yet I am the "bad guy". Go figure. How she reacts toward me is her problem. Quite frankly no contact is a relief. The being on edge trying to walk a titerope to keep peace with her is gone.
I wish you well in your journey as caregiver. Do what you must and ignore the negative people. A lesson I learned the hard way late in life.
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hellokarma Mar 2022
THANK YOU for your very kind words.

I also wish you well, of course!!

“Do what you must and ignore the negative people.”

YES :)
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I'm in the same boat. The youngest of six siblings, taking care of mom basically alone. My older sister helped until her husband became ill, and she had to take care of him. My oldest brother is retired as is his wife (a retired nurse) and neither offer any kind of help at all. They send flowers for mom's birthday and Mother's Day--I guess that makes them feel better. Another brother & sister have nothing to do with the family, and the last of my sisters lives a couple of hours away and calls to tell me how much she appreciates everything I do, yet never offers to help in any way. I was angry at having to give up my life--through my forties and fifties--while they went merrily on their way. It took awhile, but I realized my anger at them didn't hurt them--it only hurt me. No, I'll never get those 14 years back, but then again, THEY'LL never have the memories I've made with my mom or the quality time spent with her. So, I let it go. I no longer keep in touch with my brothers or one sister--too much negativity and drama--and it was sad, but a relief nonetheless. There are many here on the forum that lament the fact that they are an "only child" and bear the brunt of the caregiving, but it doesn't just happen with only children. This isn't about my siblings--I've come to terms with the fact that they're egocentric and basically worthless--it's about my mom and my commitment to her and providing the best care possible for her. My "family" is now made up of those who truly care about me and we help and support each other any way we can. Mom fell in January and went to a nursing home for acute rehabilitation. It killed me to see her there, but guess what? She absolutely loves it! She's a retired nurse and once worked in this same facility. The nurses there let her sit with them in the nurse's station, and will occasionally take her with them when they give meds. Mom is 94 and has vascular dementia, but I think that on some level she knows where she is, so we're doing a "test drive" and leaving her there for now. I'm still adjusting to "being free" after 14 years of caretaking, but I have no regrets. Once she's gone, I have plans to move south and get on with my life. I can't control how others act, and realizing and coming to terms with that made all the difference in the world. You do YOU and do what you think is best. Let it go and leave your brother to his own devices. With my family, I hope to be there when the karma bus comes around the corner, but either way, I am at peace knowing I've done the best I could. Sending lots of hugs and good karma your way...
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hellokarma Mar 2022
Thank you for your very kind message!!

“Sending lots of hugs and good karma your way...”

THANK YOU.
And of course, I wish the same for you — and all of us here on this forum. I know we’re all dealing with things.

Thank you for your wonderful message.

“You do YOU and do what you think is best. Let it go and leave your brother to his own devices.”

YES.
Unfortunately, we must at times be in contact.
But, I have cut him out of my life. He’s awful.

Let go of anger, yes.
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Yeah. I cut contact. One of the best things I did in my life.
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hellokarma Mar 2022
Exactly!!!

Good riddance. Some people are awful. Your life will suddenly be lighter, happier.

Unfortunately, my brother and I sometimes must talk. That’s why my post suddenly appeared a few days ago.

More bad behavior from my brother. Of course I got upset.

——————————

Since yesterday/today I see even more clearly his character: he did something.

This liberated me, because I see I really don’t want to have much to do with someone like that.

Despicable values, liar.

——————————

I feel freer now, having cut him out more.
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Have been through the same thing. At the beginning of 2022 after a tough 3 years where i felt like my siblings did not exist, for the most part, I decided to stop having any expectations of them. I started meditating and taking care of me because I did not like the resentful person I was becoming. I told myself that karma would catch up with them (especially the one who was close enough to have actually been able to help occasionally).

Coincidentally, in the past month that sibling was injured through a stupid stunt she pulled and my father was hospitalized (unrelated). In the haze of pain killers maybe, the sibling sent me a long letter apologizing for having been so absent. Perhaps being laid up without anyone to help her, she realized how much I had been doing for Mom and Dad. Due somewhat to her injury, she was unable to be with Dad at the end. She has been experiencing extreme heartache and remorse that among other things, she was a horrible teenager to parents who were wonderful, and that has been basically absent the past 3 years. She's seen how loving and supportive of mom and me my adult kids were through Dad's last week of life and how absent her only child was. She literally told me through tears that she thinks Karma has caught up with her. It caught up with her earlier than i expected, but I do believe that most people who have done so little for their parents will eventually experience a lot of guilt.

It may not happen in time for you to see it, so in the meantime, follow the good advice that's already been given here and try not to let the anger and resentment take over your life. I know it's hard. I sometimes count the hours I've spent neglecting my own life while taking care of Mom and Dad and thinking of all the fun things I could have been doing instead. But in the end, I will have no regrets for how I treated them.
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hellokarma Mar 2022
Thank you for your sweet words!!

“try not to let the anger and resentment take over your life.”

Yes.

Hug!!! :)
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hellokarma: I hear you! I really do. My situation (or my mother's, really) was that I had to leave my home, family, husband, daughter and life behind to move in with my late mother where she was living alone seven states away from me because she was adamant about staying put. Wow - that caused a real dilemma for me. She was a legally blind woman and when her blood pressure plummeted, I had to move in with her. Long story short - she was on her death bed from an ischemic stroke and my brother, who had arrived days before from across country, left to return home WHILE she lay on her death bed. That left me alone with her and mind you, I had already been living there for half the year. I could either continue to dwell on his oddness or let it go. I chose the later. Good luck to you, hellokarma. Don't let it eat you up.
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hellokarma Mar 2022
“hellokarma: I hear you! I really do.”

Good!! :)

“and my brother, who had arrived days before from across country, left to return home WHILE she lay on her death bed”

:(

“That left me alone with her and mind you, I had already been living there for half the year.”

:(

Hug!!!
Similar with me too. I helped again and again, with emergencies (stayed with my parents). Brother? Partying somewhere.

“I could either continue to dwell on his oddness or let it go. I chose the later.”

Good.
Here too, I’m following Grandma1954 :). Anger is a waste of energy.

“Good luck to you, hellokarma.”

Thanks!! You too!! :) :)

“Don't let it eat you up.”

I promise.

Hello Karma
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It’s natural to be angry when your siblings can help carry the load, but choose not to. It’s during these tough times that true love comes through in a family. But sadly, it doesn’t always work out. There’s nothing you can do about it. So accept it. God sees it and a day will come when your siblings will find themselves in the same situation. While I hate, hate, hate my siblings’ not stepping up, I can’t sue them and make them help out. One day, they’ll remember this season and regret sitting back and doing minimum. But maybe such a time as this is why you were born!
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hellokarma Mar 2022
“a day will come when your siblings will find themselves in the same situation”

I believe the same.

Hugs!!!

Courage. :)
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