You were sitting across from your dad at dinner and he told the same story twice in twenty minutes. Or your mom couldn't remember the name of her neighbor, the one she's known for fifteen years. You smiled and moved on, but the thought was already there, quiet and unsettling in the back of your mind: Is this something? That question, is this normal or is something wrong, is one of the most anxiety-producing things about watching a parent get older. You don't want to overreact

You noticed something last Thanksgiving. Maybe your mom repeated the same story three times in an hour. Maybe your dad's fridge was nearly empty, or the mail had piled up on the kitchen counter for weeks. You went home with a knot in your stomach that quiet, nagging feeling that something is off, but you're not quite sure if it's serious enough to say anything. If you're wondering when your parent needs more help at home, you're not alone. This is one of the most emotionally