• When my dad died, my mom lost her companion and financial caretaker. • The emotional and logistical reality of caring for a parent was far more complex than I'd imagined. • I am constantly stretched thin, balancing my career, parenting, travel, and caring for my mom.

When I got the phone call that my dad had died, I knew that my life would change forever. What I didn't anticipate was how much my mother's next chapter in life would collide with mine.

Not only did she lose her companion, but she lost her financial caretaker. I found myself emotionally and financially responsible for her. With housing costs on the rise, personal expenses piling up, and loneliness becoming her new reality, we made a decision that felt practical and compassionate: she would move in with me.

It made sen

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