Bigstockphoto.com/Happy African American Old Woman Smiling While Resting Outdoors
** Note: Slight blurriness, best at smaller sizes
It’ll take you by surprise the day your parents can no longer take care of themselves. You’ll start helping them out in tiny increments over the years, helping your dad run errands when he can’t drive far distances and accompanying your mom to doctor’s appointments in case she can’t understand all the information she is given. But you’ll never quite see the day coming when a parent needs to move in with you and become your full-time charge. It’s a very disorienting experience. First and foremost, you’re taking care of another being now, which maybe you weren’t before if you never had children or if your children moved out long ago. Second off, you’re seeing your parent in a whole new way. What you’re doing is very honorable, so you deserve some preparation. Here is what nobody tells you about taking care of an aging parent.
