Although we brought my mother home with us over a year ago, it has taken me this long to decide to blog about it. There are so many worthwhile issues involved with caring for our aging parents that it seems worthwhile to share some of these amazing experiences.
This blog will be about taking care of an aging parent at home, and keeping myself (what counts as) sane (for me.)
This blog is titled Life Mach 7 because at a quick count, I'm on the seventh iteration of my life. I could break it down further, but I guess I wanted to mark this as a real, honest period in my life. Not near the beginning, not near the end, and certainly its own thing. For while it lasts, it is unique, meaningful, taxing and rewarding.
Some quick facts: My husband and I live in Atlanta, Georgia with our two dogs. About a year and a half ago, my father passed away, leaving my mother alone at age 87, after 63 years of marriage. For a variety of reasons, my husband and I invited her to live with us. It would be more accurate to say that we just brought her home. Since then we've been three adults and three dogs in a smallish 3/2 home. Mom is now 89 years old and in reasonably good health, all things considered.
I work in high-tech and essentially work part-time from home, as I am primarily a full-time caregiver at this point.
I already know that it will be difficult writing honestly about our situation because while I'm an intensely private person, I may choose to reveal what is essentially private information of a personal or medical nature about any one of us. I'm deeply aware of privacy issues, especially around the elderly, but I want to share our story in case it helps another family understand what it is like, and help them decide to bring their parents home.
It really is worth it.
