In the fall of 2023, my Mom was self-sufficient, sharp and still very much engaged with life. A week later down in her Caribbean home, she could not finish tasks like cooking, personal care, and each day was increasingly erratic.

Not too long ago, I walked from the neighbourhood where I live to the waterfront and back around the city streets It was a mild fall afternoon, overcast yet not rainy. I had to unzip my coat. I was breathing in the air and feeling so grateful. The leaves crunched under my feet, dry and brown. Those on the trees were glistening gold as the sun streamed between them. At the water, the ocean was dark, as the waves tumbled over and over each other.