Proposal for Grandma

            Since Grandma had her fall two weeks ago, her doctor has strongly suggested that she can no longer safely live alone. This was more of a severe blow for Grandma - and indeed the entire family - than the actual fall, as she has lived independently for so many years. It was thus up to the families of her three surviving children to decide what should be done. This paper expounds the position of our family. In it, we will show that placing Grandma in a senior housing community is the best of all available options. .
             Our process began with a round-table brainstorming session. We created a list of possible alternatives. These included several out-of-the-home possibilities, for example placing Grandma in a nursing home, or retirement community. We also considered in-home solutions, such as a full-time caregiver in Grandma's house, and the possibility of Grandma moving in with one of her children. From there, we weighed the advantages and disadvantages of each option. Our goal was to find a resolution allowing Grandma the minimum of disruption, and the maximum of continued independence. .
             I shall deal with the in-home options first. A full-time caregiver would obviously allow Grandma to remain in her own home, and would possibly be the cheapest of the alternatives. However, we felt that Grandma would resent the intrusion into her privacy and independence. We also projected that it would be probable that a caregiver would at some point wish to move on to another position, in which case it would be necessary to go though the selection and hiring process over again. We would be fortunate indeed to find a suitable person quickly, and one that met with Grandma's approval. .
             Making space for Grandma in one of the children's homes was a disastrous proposition from the start. None of our families really have the room to spare. A decision would have to be made as to with whom she would live. We could foresee considerable friction resulting from arguments around that topic.