A few months ago, my dad went into a care home. The cognitive symptoms of his Parkinson’s were getting worse after 18 years and my mum could no longer look after him at home. The last time my wife and I visited him, I showed Dad some pictures of my son and he just cried in silence. Then we all cried. I knew my parents were getting older, but I am afraid of how much worse it can get. Although important people in my life have died, this feels different.
I left my country of birth after university and I feel limited in the ways I can help. My mum has started drinking alone and she can’t sleep without benzodiazepines. Other close family members are the same age or have distanced themselves from her.
