When we planned a short getaway, I asked my in-laws to stay with my father—a gentle, soft-spoken man who didn’t need medical care, just some company and someone nearby in case he needed help. I imagined a quiet week: shared meals, a few TV shows, maybe some light conversation. What I didn’t anticipate was how quickly his peaceful home would be disrupted.
They upended his routine, took over the living room, and criticized his old-fashioned ways. The tipping point came one evening when, without a hint of kindness, they said, “You don’t need this big house. You should be in a nursing home.” My father didn’t argue. He simply smiled and said, “You might be right.”
