I've been waiting, hoping for something significant and positive to occur before doing another episode, simply so that every post isn't just whining; however, nothing really positive has occurred, so an update. 

Basically, every day is a wait. A wait to see if a scheduled sitter will arrive, be late, how late, or not at all.

Will I get "the call" from the nursing home, that the room is available, and begin the actual admission process and move?

And every day, so far, it's been: no word or more "we're working on it". 

At what point, do I start reaching out to facility #3, when going from #1 and #2.. to #3, from research, is a significant step in the wrong direction of overall care, especially if I'm not interested in placing them like a county away, farther from where I'll mostly be, meaning less visits and overight?

A brief description of how much "waiting", is a part of caregiving.

There seems to be some positive movement towards getting both parents admitted to a local nursing home. It is the #2 option, at least from previous conversations with my mom, those times she seems amenable to her going to a nursing home (usually as part of an attempted guilt trip), or having dad go and her visit.  However option #2 for me is #1, as it's smaller, more personable, still has a good reputation.... and.. the medical director's office is within walking distance of the facility.. and she's a family member I went to HS and College with, so we can talk bluntly and easily. She actually listens. 

The whole reason for hiring sitters is to assist in caregiving, and especially overnight, to keep their charges (your family members) safe, by being awake and alert to render immediate assistance should they need it, especially if one charge is a high fall risk, and very impulsive (meaning they just start getting up without asking for help), so that they do not fall.

Well, my response was. "Your number 1 priority is to keep my parents safe, which cannot be done when asleep on the couch, nothing personal, but I can't trust you, so you may leave". 

Much like severe and sudden stress or even oxygen deprivation, after a while, caregiving can lead to what I'm calling "Tunnel Vision", in that the combination of stress, sleep deprivation, depression, continual denial of even considering an activity or anything which is meaningful to you as an individual, can either just from brain fog, or a subconscious self preservation tactic of "if I don't think about it, it won't stress or depress me" type of tunnel vision.

The holidays don't exactly mean fun, family, relaxation, and celebration when you are a primary or full-time caregiver of one person, much less two. Often it means more work, more stress and less help. 

For non-caregivers, your "normal" day, is my fantasy.

For the most part, there has been no substantial change. Still trying to determine what documents the nursing home needs, and get those. I realize I'm doing it a bit of the hard way, and being a typical control freak in that I'm not just signing a blank "release of information" which they can write in any provider, lab, pharmacy, and ask for anything without me even knowing, but maybe I am a control freak. Do you sign blank checks?  

Basically, I've dropped off the applications at the nursing home, asking to be put on a waiting list, when two beds open up. Preferably in the same room, but not required at the beginning (definately something to work towards).

The last few days, the major battle in my head has been determining which thoughts and feelings are selfish, and which are self-preservation.