Last night at a reading I met a woman caregiver who had left her full-time job to be able to be home with her growing children. At eight and sixteen, they are now just at the point where she does not have to worry about them being home alone for varying periods of time, the youngest being able to be home for a short period if needed and the older for longer. She, and they, have been enjoying spending these swiftly passing years of childhood together.

Enter her mother with Alzheimer’s which has progressed to the point where she needed to move in with the family to have the right level of care in her mid-stage journey, and this perfect family plan was suddenly strained by the weight of unexpected complications and the responsibilities of caregiving. Grandma cannot be left alone even for a short period of time without much worry and stress. There is a dire future to prepare for and walk through.