Fragmented families (I've even written a poem on the subject) have been a preoccupation of mine for most of my adult life ever since I left a close knit family and became educated and moved away. I yearned for day to day family contact rather than having to go and stay for weekends.
When you are a relatively young grandparent the family might enjoy coming for weekend visits and holidays, but once the ravages of age set in, the trips to see grandma become a chore.
So, we have decided to sell up and move, from a country house with lots of garden and distant views, to Central London in order to be close to our family. The problem is the cost of housing there and would we be happy living in a tiny house or a flat. Life with all it's options is never easy, but family is the most important. We need to make these moves before we become too old. How often do you hear older people saying that they should have moved years ago but they have left it too late. Gather ye rosebuds.....