I moved in with my parents 3 years ago to help my dad with my mom's caregiving. I'm glad I got that time with her.
A personal essay detailing the author's experience moving back home to care for her mother, who suffered from dementia. The piece explores the emotional challenges of caregiving and the complex family dynamics that arise when roles are reversed.
Why it matters
It highlights the growing societal challenge of elder care and the personal toll it takes on family members, particularly those balancing their own life transitions.
The author moved in with her parents to help with her mother's caregiving. Courtesy of Jeanni Ritchie I moved in with my parents to help my dad with my mom's caregiving. She had dementia, and it kept changing the rules. It was hard at first, but we found a rhythm. I'm so glad we got that time together. I moved back to my Louisiana hometown from Biloxi, Mississippi, in 2023 after 35 years on my own. It was the solution to two problems — I was newly divorced with nowhere to go, and my dad needed help caring for my mom, who had dementia . It was supposed to be temporary. Respite care for him, refuge for me. A year or two, tops. We almost didn't make it through the first six months.
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