In 2018, my mother was diagnosed with vascular parkinsonism. It has been heartbreaking to watch her health continue to decline. I remember seeing my mom in her 50s on top of her house, reroofing it! Now, in her 80s, she is barely able to put 1 foot in front of the other due to parkinsonism. This “ new normal” has been a journey through difficult and uncharted territory: convincing my mom it wasn't safe to drive her car any longer, assuring that having a stranger help her shower would be OK, helping her accept the use of a cane, a walker and now a motorized scooter, navigating multiple doctor's appointments with new diagnosis and prescriptions. It was all new to both of us.

However, one thing has stayed the same. It has been incredibly important to my mom to stay in her home. Being at home and having a caregiver has given her hope and a new kind of independence. My experience has been difficult, but it has also been very helpful as I speak to seniors’ families who are going through similar experiences with their parents.