One of the first things you learn taking care of your older parents is flexibility. And that all of your friends will start to think you are a total flake.  The two go hand-in-hand.

For example, you have a casual dinner date with a friend in the neighborhood later tonight. Pretty standard plan, nothing too exciting... there's not a wedding or out of town guess in site. But guess what? You are not going to make it. In fact, you probably won't even tell your friend you are going to miss it. You are going to ditch them. You bastard, right? Well, your dad fell in his house and you need to get there to help him up. No problem, just post-pone the date for later that night. Your friend is flexible, right?

Once you are there you see that your parents have not eaten that day because they could not get out of the house to buy food. So now you are off on possibly two trips, one for an immediate dinner from the sandwich shop or takeout and another quick run through the grocery store for staples. Of course, if your parents had let you know they were low on food two days ago when you were there for a visit, you would have brought food, right? Sure. But they do not tell you, because they do not want you to worry, because you are already doing so much... but really they just made you take an extra trip when you do not have the time.

Now, between the fall, dinner pickup and the grocery trip you are beat... well, you still need to meet your friend for dinner.  You did call them right?

You let them know that you would not make it before this all started?