In March of last year, Claire Molinaro's father, Pat, spent a week in a hospital in Akron, Ohio.

After doctors suggested hospice workers take over his care, the 81-year-old man told his daughter, "I don't think I'm ready for that."

So, Mrs. Molinaro, the fifth of seven children, kept a bedside vigil, telling her father often, "I'm taking you out of here. Stay strong. Get better," adding that, "We always kept him motivated."

Doctors remained skeptical that her father would recover; a neurologist said his Parkinson's disease was advanced. It was a surreal experience, she said, adding, "We had to fight to get nutrition and medicine for him."

Although doctors decided Pat had not suffered a stroke, he underwent physical and speech therapy during a 2 1/2-month stay at a nursing home, where he had to learn how to walk, talk and swallow.

His daughter was by his side.

---

Related stories

• Sue Kushner's story

• Dr. Ann Baldwin Taylor's story

---

"You have to be there. I was there at least 40 hours a week. I was always there to push a little more, to push him, to push them. I made it clear from day one that he was going home," Mrs. Molinaro recalled. "Dad's a very cautious person. That held him back in physical therapy."

Her parents, who have been married 60 years, lived in Akron before Mrs. Molinaro moved them to her Butler County home in Middlesex, where she lives with her husband, Ron. Luckily, it's all on one level.

Mrs. Molinaro's 91-year-old mother, Mary, has Alzheimer's and resisted moving. So, her daughter tried diplomacy, telling her, "Mom, I can't take care of Dad by myself and you can't take care of Dad by yourself so we're going to do it together.''

When Mrs. Molinaro's parents moved in to their grandson's bedroom on June 1, 2007, Pat "walked from the car to the front door. He was the happiest man on the planet."

Mary still recognizes family members but often asks the same questions.

"Caring for an Alzheimer's patient is, for me, more challenging than physical demands. All you can do is redirect. That takes diplomacy and, trust me, you're not always in the mood for it," Mrs. Molinaro said.

While she finalized plans for her parents' move, her father spent 2 1/2 weeks at Health South in Harmarville and that transition helped, she said.

A pianist who occasionally accompanies her husband, a classically trained violinist and music educator to entertain at special events, Mrs. Molinaro also runs a jewelry business out of her home, selling semi-precious stones and sterling silver.

Although she is capable and determined, she was uncertain of what her parents would need or how to take care of them. So, she tapped into every available resource. Her hairdresser's sister turned out to have nursing experience and comes in one day a week to help. The Butler County Area Agency on Agency delivers breakfast and lunch for her parents.

When Mrs. Molinaro looked for another caregiver, her father's physical therapist, Sue Kushner, recommended Laury Darragh, a Middlesex woman who helps out three days a week.

Ron Molinaro, a music educator at Mars Area School District, has been patient and supportive.

"He's gone far beyond what I asked and does hands-on care regularly," she said.

In hindsight, Mrs. Molinaro realizes that, "Earlier intervention would have been better. It's a very delicate balance with Mom having Alzheimer's. She was unable to supervise his meals or his medical care."

But all her efforts paid off. Last March, her father weighed 111 pounds; today, he's 160.

Now, Mrs. Molinaro's mantra is "be aware, be objective, be pro-active, not reactive." She also knows the value of networking with other people. Ms. Kushner lives about a mile away and the two women have become friendly.

For Mrs. Molinaro, taking vacations with her husband to visit their grown sons or traveling on business now takes more planning but it's possible.

"My brothers and sisters, all of whom live out of state, have all come to help," she said.

The Molinaros' 27-year-old son, Anthony, is a music educator who lives in San Diego, Calif. Their younger son, Joe, is a 25-year-old violinist and music educator who lives in Bloomington, Ind., and teaches at a school there.

"As a mother, I miss them," Mrs. Molinaro said.

Now that her parents live with her, Mrs. Molinaro said, "It takes a lot more planning to do anything. It just has different challenges than raising children. They never go home. They're always here."

But the decision she and her husband made, "was the right thing to do. It's as simple as that and it's as hard as that. I'm not on the front lines in Iraq."

She's delighted that her father does not recall his hospitalization or the time he spent in a nursing home.

"Hooray for amnesia," Mrs. Molinaro said.