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Her daughter doesn't like her friends so no one gets to visit her. She's lonely and alone most the time.

You put your post under "elder abuse"......do you really consider it abuse for the daughter to not allow friends to visit mom? It's not enough she's housing, feeding and caring for this woman, she also must be her entertainment committee in order for others to not consider her abusive???

Your friend should seriously move into Assisted Living where she'll have her own apartment and can entertain whomever she'd like whenever she'd like. Then you can talk about how abusive the daughter is for "putting" her mother in a "home".
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Reply to lealonnie1
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I took care of a relative who had a disabling stroke for 2 years. I didn’t have time to entertain visitors, though they showed up anyway. One couple even brought their (uninvited) dog and stayed for 4 exhausting hours - exhausting for the patient and for me.

None of these people ever offered to help with all I had to do, or provided a meal, or did a chore. I suggest that you offer to help the daughter. Take them a meal. Don’t eat their food because the daughter is probably struggling to shop and cook while she acts as care slave to mom. Offer to stay with mom while daughter gets out of the house. Offer to run errands. You’ll be more welcome if you do not add to their burden but lift some of it from their shoulders. They are in crisis mode, and it will continue for a long time.

Suggest to your friend that she move to a care facility rather than expect her daughter to provide care in her home. Friend will make friends there, and she’ll enjoy the more active lifestyle. Then you can visit her whenever you want.
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Reply to Fawnby
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Beethoven13 Mar 9, 2026
Agreed. Help the daughter and indirectly (directly) you help the person. Bring a meal. Clean up after and wash all the dishes and put them away. Fold a load of laundry while you visit. Don’t expect daughter to entertain you. She gets a break when you are there. See crumbs? Sweep. Or vacuum. Nails need cleaning. Do a little soap and soak and make it fun to clean nails. While you visit. Water the plants. Scoop the cat box. Walk the dog. Dust. Help the caregiver.
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When the Church women visited my Mom, I took advantage of it and left the room. I did not entertain them. I agree, offer to sit with friend why daughter runs an errand. Take a dinner. If the stroke did not disable her, take friend out to lunch.

I have been a caregiver so I know how hard it is. I do understand where this daughter is coming from, but I do think its a form of abuse to isolate your friend.
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Reply to JoAnn29
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Help your friend make arrangements to move to assisted living, where she'll have plenty of social activity and you'll be able to visit without intruding on the daughter's probably limited free time.
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Reply to MG8522
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Do you know for sure that her daughter will not allow visitors? It is possible that your friend has challenges from the stroke that she does not yet want her friends to witness, and she could be using her daughter as an excuse? Or, her daughter may have declined visitors one time, like when her mom was fresh out the hospital, and her mom now assumes that it is “no” all the time? I understand that depression often accompanies stroke, so is it possible that your friend does not want to see anyone right now? As the daughter who has often been used as a scapegoat or misunderstood, I offer these possibilities. So I echo the good advice from others here about calling and offering to take your friend out, or to bring a meal, etc. Hope you are reunited soon!
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Reply to Hope21
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MG8522 Mar 9, 2026
These are good points, Hope. It's worth trying again.
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