My dad is 78 and for the past couple of years he's just stopped coming to Sunday dinners as often. Stopped sitting through my kids' games. Always had an excuse to leave early or not come at all.
I thought he was just getting older and slowing down. Didn't want to push it.
Then one day I actually asked him. Turns out sitting had become genuinely painful for him — his tailbone and lower back would ache within maybe 20 minutes of sitting in any chair. Getting up was the worst part, he said. That moment of standing up after he'd been sitting for a while had become something he dreaded.
He'd just quietly accepted it as part of getting old and never said a word.
I found this cushion called MediGel that has a cutout where the tailbone sits so there's zero pressure on that spot. Got him one for his recliner and one for the car.
Honestly didn't expect much. But now he's staying longer at dinner. Last month he sat through my son's entire football game without once asking to leave.
On the drive home he said "I forgot what it felt like to just sit somewhere and not think about it."
I wasn't expecting a seat cushion to make me emotional but here we are.
If your parent has been quietly skipping things — it might be worth asking why. 🙏



















