Dear Eric: My 40-year-old daughter has been living in a house with a very nice older, recently retired gentleman for about 10 years. He has an adult son and daughter-in-law who are drug addicts.

Recently, because of domestic violence in front of their 4-year-old child, the daughter-in-law was arrested and has an order of protection to stay away from her husband.

In the meantime, the man who my daughter is living with is now temporarily taking care of the 4-year-old. The man is willing to take care of his grandson long term, if needed.

My daughter understands that and does not blame him for accepting temporary custody of the grandson.

The problem is our daughter has a very good job that involves travel daily and at times overnight. Because of her travel and work requirements, she realizes that she needs a good night’s rest. She is not getting adequate sleep due to the grandson’s health issues during the night.

She is willing to stay with him right now to provide support for him as his new responsibility is demanding. But she is skeptical that such an arrangement will be conducive to her well-being.

Should she have a long talk with the man and share that she needs to find another place to live in order for her safety, driving and working? She and the man get along great. But she is wondering what she should do: leave him and thank him for the past and wish him the best or stay there and do her best?

— Restless Housemates

Dear Housemates: A talk is the right path forward. No matter the circumstances, housemates often find that, after a while, their needs change, even though they still like each other. It’s normal for life factors to motivate moves. Talking it through helps alleviate hurt feelings.

Your daughter should think about the obligation she feels toward the man and his grandson. It’s understandable that, after such a long friendship, she wants to support him. But is she the best person to provide said support? Part of the tension may be coming from the fact that she’s trying to fulfill a role that another person — a relative, or home health aide or a social worker — is better suited for. So, she should also ask the man what support he needs and, if she feels capable, help him brainstorm the best way to get that support.

Send questions to eric@askingeric.com.