Retirement, a move, the loss of a spouse, any of these transitions can quietly erode the rhythms that once gave each day its shape. And when that happens, emotional wellness often takes the hit before anyone notices.
You weren't even looking for problems. You stopped by your parent's place near Gambrills to pick up a casserole dish, and while you were there, you noticed the smoke detector chirping with a low battery. Then you saw the recycling bin, overflowing with takeout containers from the same restaurant. Your parent used to cook every night. When you asked about it, they shrugged and said they just hadn't felt like cooking lately.
You weren't planning to worry this much. But then you showed up at your parent's house near Gambrills and found three days' worth of dishes stacked in the sink, a bruise on their wrist they waved off as "nothing," and a bathroom that smelled like the exhaust fan hadn't been turned on in weeks. Alone in the car afterward, you sat in the driveway and typed something into your phone you never expected to search: Is it still safe for my parent to live alone?