Boy, did my perspective on aging change this week. I saw it with my own eyes. Home may not the best place for our elderly parents.
The older you get, the less time you should spend alone. One day Ms. or Mr. Independent is not. And it will happen to all of us if we live long enough.
My mother's brain is agile, her body is on borrowed time. She sits alone in her TV room most of the time, alternating between Fox News and word search puzzles. She should be around people, enjoying a hot meal she didn't have to cook. Because she won't refrain from attempting risky things around the house, she is a fall (or should I say, another fall) risk and shouldn't be left alone.
Three weeks ago my sister's spry mother-in-law was self-sufficient. She fell and a chest x-ray discovered lung cancer. A scan confirmed she had a stroke. She's not ready for hospice, but now she can't be left alone.
So we are scouting for assisted living options in two different towns. Our houses won't work (stairs, etc.). Retrofitting their houses and bringing in caregivers costs too much. We can't move in with them.
They were not fine at home, but we took them at their word. They seemed so competent. How can we ask them surrender their independence, something we all cherish. Their frailness demands it.
With compassion and courage, we must guide our loved ones into the next stage of their lives.
— Suztek
The older you get, the less time you should spend alone. One day Ms. or Mr. Independent is not. And it will happen to all of us if we live long enough.
My mother's brain is agile, her body is on borrowed time. She sits alone in her TV room most of the time, alternating between Fox News and word search puzzles. She should be around people, enjoying a hot meal she didn't have to cook. Because she won't refrain from attempting risky things around the house, she is a fall (or should I say, another fall) risk and shouldn't be left alone.
Three weeks ago my sister's spry mother-in-law was self-sufficient. She fell and a chest x-ray discovered lung cancer. A scan confirmed she had a stroke. She's not ready for hospice, but now she can't be left alone.
So we are scouting for assisted living options in two different towns. Our houses won't work (stairs, etc.). Retrofitting their houses and bringing in caregivers costs too much. We can't move in with them.
They were not fine at home, but we took them at their word. They seemed so competent. How can we ask them surrender their independence, something we all cherish. Their frailness demands it.
With compassion and courage, we must guide our loved ones into the next stage of their lives.
— Suztek
You don't give any ages, so I'm wondering how early some people become that frail! Yes, I agree, best of luck and strength...
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