I know you don't want to

Those are the words I spoke to my father when he had to transition from a cane to a walker. The very words I spoke to him were the very words our favorite nurse spoke to him when my father first arrived at his nursing home. I know you don'[t want to be here, is really saying I know in this moment you feel as if your power is being snatched from you, and in many ways, it is, there are no choices, but the choice of a walker and a nursing home. My father fell this week, and it was a pretty nasty fall, thankfully his roommate had enough strength to push the alert button and as loudly as he could, ask for help. Falling at any age can be frightening, can cause serious injury, and can feel embarrassing. As much as I want my father to feel his independence, he has to be safe. We sat and talked about his walker, the freedom the walker would provide, and having the ability to be safe. Though, this was difficult for my father to understand or even accept, I knew it was the right decision.