People often ask me, “How long has your father-in-law been in the home?” I tell them $80,000 worth—they look at me with bewilderment and I say three years. I remember that day like it was yesterday. My husband is an only child and his parents are in their 80s, while we have three teenage children. With both my husband and I working full time and my mother-in-law also requiring care, it was becoming harder to look after everyone.
The summer morning when the call came saying there was a room in long-term care for my husband’s father was a very emotional time for us. Tears flowed from our eyes, as we had to tell my husband’s parents that the time had come for his dad to move into long-term care. His father was upset and not quite sure why he had to move, but he knew that we were looking out for his best interests.
Today, my father-in-law has adjusted very well to his new environment and is quite happy. Now we face another challenge, this time with my mother-in-law. She recently became ill and we are not sure what the outcome will be. Whatever it is, we know she will require more care. Living through change is difficult. But it’s easier to cope knowing we have each other.
