Coping With Caregiving

I recently started taking care of a 64 yr old woman with parkinson’s and demencia (spelling?) [dementia]. My major problem with her is the abuse I am receiving from her. When she does not get what she wants, she slaps my face open or fisted handed. I know she does not know/want to hurt me. I just do not know what to do about this.

It always seems to happen after she has eaten her last meal of the day. My boss has me giving her sweets after her supper, I do not know if this is the reason or not. She also has become sexually aggressive towards me, i woke up early one am with her feeling my breasts. I do not understand why she does either of these. I am hoping somebody out in cyperspace can help me. I do not want to leave this job. I care deeply for her and feel this is a calling I have to take care of her.

I am not included in any of the health care appointments, therefore I can only rely on the person who has the power of attorney to relay the info to her doctors, which I do not think she is doing. All she does is threaten to put my Carol away if she does not change, I keep telling her Carol can not change with out the correct med’s. She keeps saying there is nothing to help her, but I keep reading of treatments and med’s that can help. Her only relative lives across country and when he visits he does not spend time with her. So of course he has no idea what I am dealing with.

I care deeply for Carol, I lost my mother several years ago and think of her as a second mother. I do not do this for money, I do it because I am a Christain and believe God sent me to her. But I am at my wits end. Now I am taking pills for my nerves, which is not good for me. Is anyone having the same type of problem I am having. What I have just wrote is only a 1/16th of the problems I am dealing with. Please anybody with any ideas please respond. Thank you and have a blessed day.