My Father's Eyes, Part II

My father's Parkinson's has progressed to a point where my mother can no longer take care of him by herself. An infection put him in the hospital for awhile, and then into a long-term care facility. Mrs. DocLarry and I paid a visit to him shortly after he'd been moved to the "facility." He was extremely unhappy, and I can't say as I blame him. Most of the "patients" appeared to be waiting to die. It was not a pleasant place.

My mother, having recognized her inability to care for my father alone, and not wanting to be on her own either, finally decided they should both move in with my brother for a while. He lives nearby and is very willing to take them in. But he lives in a split-level house, which means my father is limited to staying upstairs. It's certainly better than the "facility" he'd been in, but it is also not the ideal place for him.

Still, my father is happier, my mother doesn't have to go it alone, and my brother is being the good son. It's a start.