When my dad got dementia, I became the adult in the relationship. I wasn't ready.

• My dad was my biggest cheerleader growing up, but his personality changed when he got dementia. • I moved in with him to help provide care, but eventually, a care home was the best option. • I know it was the right decision, but I still feel some guilt.

My dad clutched my arm tightly and looked at me with panicked eyes: "Don't leave me here."

In that moment, the roles reversed. It was as though I was the parent abandoning their kid. This memory from August 2022 — when we moved my father to a care facility for people with dementia — is one of the last times I ever heard him talk. He soon became nonverbal.

My dad was my biggest cheerleader before his dementia

In my father's eyes, everything I touched turned to gold. He boasted about my minor accomplishments on Facebook and hosted c