My dad, a proud U.S. Army veteran, who served in Vietnam, has been in palliative care for advanced COPD for almost 10 months now. Although he has been able to remain at home, he struggles just to move around and can hardly breathe or care for himself. It is heartbreaking to watch, and has gotten so bad. My mom is also unable to manage much of daily life on her own, as she has long depended on my dad.

Neither of my parents can drive anymore, which makes even the basics (getting groceries, prescriptions, or going to appointments) a challenge. My sister, my kids, and I have been doing everything we can, but it has been overwhelming for all of us. The house has become very difficult to maintain, with clutter and mess piling up. Even small things most of us take for granted, like getting a haircut, are no longer possible for my dad since he can’t leave the house. The decline has been more than I ever could have imagined.

I also carry a lot of grief from past family losses, which makes this even harder to face. We have spoken with several organizations, including the Office of Aging and my dad’s palliative care social worker, but there simply aren’t enough resources to meet their daily needs.

I feel ashamed to even write this post, but I don’t know what else to do. After much thought, Ive decided to set up a GoFundMe to help with-

-Groceries, utilities, and basic living expenses

-Household cleaning and upkeep, so my parents can live in dignity and safety

-Caregiving and respite support, to ease the burden on the family

-Pet care and supplies

-Transportation and delivery needs

-Basic personal care for my dad, like haircuts, which help him feel comfortable and cared for

My parents live off of a small pension and some social security, but it is not enough and they have no savings or life insurance.

Any donation, no matter the size, or even just sharing the link would mean the world to us. Thank you for reading, and thank you for supporting our veteran dad, our mom, and our family during this difficult time. ❤️

Em