DEAR ABBY: When we are young, nothing prepares us for watching our parents grow old. Sometimes we must make the difficult decision about putting Mom or Dad in an assisted living facility. Making it even more difficult, there may have been promises made about never putting someone in assisted living.
Abby, please remind your readers not to make promises they can't keep. Sometimes kids must make decisions based on what's best for our parents to ensure they are cared for when they can no longer care for themselves and the kids can't be there 24/7. Going against someone's wishes is very difficult, but it's important to remember that these decisions are made because you care about and love the person. -- CARES VERY MUCH IN UTAH
DEAR CARES: I think what most seniors fear about being put into assisted living or a nursing home is that once they are there, they will be forgotten or ignored by their families. While making this kind of decision is difficult, I agree that it is sometimes necessary. However, when relocating a parent is necessary, family members should make every effort to visit and to make sure their loved one is included in every activity that person is capable of enjoying. Unfortunately, if that doesn't happen, the person in the institution is left feeling unloved and abandoned.