Ahn Seon-young explains moving her dementia-stricken mother to a nursing home in Canada: "No one can throw stones"

*This content was translated by AI.

Broadcaster Ahn Seon-young opened up about the reasons for placing her mother, who suffers from dementia, in a nursing home and the emotional journey she experienced during the process.

On the 23rd, a video titled "Perceptions and realities of nursing homes... | Explaining why I placed my mother in a nursing home" was released on the YouTube channel 'Ahn Seon-young's Double Life'.

In the video, Ahn Seon-young mentioned her life shuttling between Canada and South Korea, stating, "Whenever I am in Canada, people always ask, 'Then who will take care of your mother?' When I post daily life with my mother in Seoul, they ask, 'Then who will watch your son?' That is why this channel is named 'Ahn Seon-young's Double Life'."

She continued, "As I approached the threshold of my 50s, I experienced a major upheaval in life. My mother, whom I had cared for at home, developed severe cognitive impairment and was moved to a nursing home. Meanwhile, my son began playing elite hockey two to three years earlier than planned and joined a Canadian team."

Ahn Seon-young noted that when news broke that she would leave broadcasting to move her child abroad to Canada, there was significant concern from those around her. She recalled, "When the article first came out, it caused an uproar. My mother's siblings called and scolded me."

She also honestly admitted that she once held negative perceptions of nursing homes. Ahn Seon-young said, "Until I personally experienced many things, nursing homes and dementia hospitals felt like a modern version of the ancient Korean practice of abandoning elderly parents in the mountains."

However, caring for her mother at home was not easy. Ahn Seon-young revealed, "My mother underwent personality changes and began swearing at me and even committing acts of violence, which made things extremely difficult."

She added, "When I referred her to a psychiatric hospital, they said, 'If you wish, we will come. Legally, we have no choice but to restrain her and bring her out. Do you agree?' But I couldn't agree. No matter how much my mother hit me or hurt me that day, I couldn't ask them to come. There were days when I felt like rolling on shards of glass."

Ahn Seon-young stated, "I thought nursing homes were places for the worst situations, as if abandoning and giving up on one's parents. But while providing home care, I felt utterly hopeless. After experiencing it firsthand, I began to think, 'I should look into nursing hospitals.'"

She explained that she even moved to a location within a five-minute walk of the nursing facility to be close to her mother. Later, when her mother suffered a stroke, home care became impossible, and after going through a rehabilitation hospital and a private nursing home, they were transferred to the current facility.

Ahn Seon-young said, "I had been on a waiting list for several years, and finally, a room of the type I wanted became available, so we moved this time. Every day at lunchtime, I visit her, eat together, and take walks."

She concluded, "Compared to when we lived in the same house, I have forgiven my mother again, understood her illness, and learned to love her once more. Our relationship has improved significantly. I am happy now. Before anyone tries to force someone else to show filial piety, they should try standing in that position first. Only then can no one throw stones."

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*This content was translated by AI.