My father and I have been taking care of my mother, who has had AD for
about four years.  He is in good physical health, but I am concerned
about his mental health.  He's been more reluctant to go out, either
alone or with family.  He's obsessed with Rush Limbaugh (on the radio)
and FoxNews (on tv), and is afraid he will miss something good if he's
not home to witness news the first time it's broadcast.  (This is not
meant to be criticism of Limbaugh or FoxNews.)  Angry outbursts come
out of nowhere.

I understand that, being in his 70's, he may not be as physically fit
as he once was.  I know that he sometimes does not get a full night's
sleep (Mom waking him up in the early hours, wanting to go "home").
But is he just burnt out from taking care of his wife?  Or is he
beginning to exhibit symptoms of AD?  What concerns me most is his
paranoia about leaving the house.  I take my mother out most days for a
few hours, and my father will just putter around the house.  At his
age, he's allowed to putter.  But he isolates himself every day.

I know it could be depression.  But getting him to the doctor's is an
impossible feat, and he would refuse to take any medicine that would be
prescribed.  He would even refuse to talk about his stress.

My father has one sister who lives even remotely near us, but she has
her hands full with her own husband.  I do have a sister, but she
steadfastly refuses to acknowledge any problems and won't offer any
help.

Anyone have any experience with an overworked caregiver who develops AD
themselves?