Hi! With the OED, it has been like that at least since I started university in 2007. However, lots of public libraries have subscriptions. I just go to my library website, login, and follow the link to the OED. There are many other reference tools that are also included in my library card. Libraries rule!
Edit: you can check merriam-webster for free, I think
My mom started developing dementia about a decade before she died. 5 years after we first noticed the changes, she could barely form a sentence. That is when I mourned her because that is when I lost her. When she finally died I felt mostly relief. I will always miss her but I was happy when her suffering finally ended.