My parents passed a year apart—i wasn’t ready for how grief affected me

Dad keeps getting lost in assisted living—wandering into others’ rooms, leaving taps running, even mistaking his closet for a bathroom. With his condition worsening, he’s placed on an urgent waitlist for a nursing home. A spot opens, but despite Mom’s plea to wait until after Christmas, they can’t delay. On December 23, just before the holiday, Dad moves into a nursing home. (Video: Getty Images)