How Do You Decide? The Last Big Choice for a Loved One

In our industry, we constantly support families facing some of the hardest end-of-life decisions. Just recently, I got a call asking if we would take in someone with only about a week to live. My answer was simple—of course. If we have an opening and the family chooses us, we are here to serve, whether it’s for a few years or just a few days. That is never a factor in our decision to welcome someone into our home.

But the real challenge wasn’t whether we could take them—it was whether we should. Moves can be incredibly hard on seniors, sometimes even accelerating decline. But in this case, the family wasn’t happy with the care their loved one was receiving. So what do you do? Leave them where they are to avoid the stress of a move? Or bring them into a warm, comfortable home like Albert’s House, where they’ll receive the care and dignity they deserve in their final days?

I see this all the time—families wrestling with decisions that have no clear right or wrong answer. It’s never easy, and ultimately, all we can do is provide guidance, educate, and support them in whatever choice they make.

If you were in this position, what would you do? Would you prioritize comfort and care, even if it meant a difficult transition? Or would you keep things stable, even if it meant enduring a less-than-ideal situation?