Carmen is the caregiver for her father, Mr. V., a 92 year old with advanced dementia.
She lost her husband many years ago to a heart attack, her mother died 9 years ago, and her daughter, grandson and grandsons father also live with her.
Mr. V. is close to total care.
Nobody knows how she does it.
I asked her.
"My Dad was a great father. He was a hard working man (worked for years in the Steel-mill and latter in the Insurance business), a political activist (was one of the originators of the Puerto Rican Parade Committee of Chicago (PRPC)-"group founded in 1964 (and still active) by visionary leaders with the mission of better representation and greater opportunities for the Hispanic community"), and a poet. I always let people know I'm not forced to care for my Dad, I choose to care for him. I'm just trying to repay a lifetime of IOU's from his better years, for everything he did for us over the years."
It would be a better world if a lot more folks felt obliged to repay theirs.
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