3Generations
Caring for my dad Member since August 26, 2009When I first joined Caring.com, both my parents lived with me, in an in-law suite we had built for them in our walk-out basement. I have a wonderful husband and three school-age children. We all lived together for almost a decade, hence my screen name, "3Generations," (living under one roof). I wouldn't trade those years for anything.
In autumn of 2009, my Mom was diagnosed with cancer. She passed that next summer, June 2010, peacefully and surrounded by loved ones in my home. Dad, meanwhile, had been suffering mid-stage dementia for years. That's why they moved in with us to begin with, because Dad could no longer work. After Mom passed, Dad's dementia became suddenly worse. I am part-owner of a company, and my work includes some travel. Dad's behaviors became bad enough that he was endangering himself and our family. After trying several different living arrangements as he declined(in-home help, assisted living apartment, and nearby nursing home), Dad finally landed at the VA Center in February of 2011, and has thankfully lived there since with no problems.
I miss my Mom every day. And I miss my Dad, as he slowly slips into the fog of dementia.