How you deal with the issue of aging parents has a lot to do with the way you were raised. As kids do you remember having dinner with grandparents? Visiting with them at their home? Watching your parents interact with them? Was there respect shown the grandparents? Many cultures revere their elders and gain tremendous insight into many wonderful things through them. But when respect and reverence are absent resentment and anger tend to show their ugly face. Solutions exist before the first salvo is fired, making mediation the choice of last resort.
Money matters among other things, as we have read, bring out the worst in people. The expenses associated with maintaining an independent and dignified lifestyle are enormous.. Insurance and medical costs have gone through the roof. Parents and adult children find themselves in a very stressful situation, as each worries about how they will manage in retirement.
Mom and Dad are living longer and are going through their savings fast, Most Boomers want to be able to help in some way. But they worry about their own retirement. They fret and fight amongst themselves over whether they can or should help out their parents if the need arises, as in the case of a parent having to enter an assisted living facility or a nursing home. Sadly, there have been instances reported where their kids have had to sell off jewelry and other possessions to pay for more time in a facility. From here the frustration and resentment continue to mount.
Boomers who were fortunate enough to have had positive family role models in their youth usually show a strong willingness and a certain calmness when faced with being put in the role of caregiver. Not so much for those whose memories of family time in their childhood were less positive … love, compassion, and tolerance are learned. We all have the capacity to acquire them. We just need better role models.
- How willing are you to give of your time if your parents need you?
- Sibling rivalry in adulthood can be as intense in this scenario as it was in your youth?
- Who's going to take charge of your parents' finances to make sure their needs are met?
- Which of you is nearest Mom and Dad to check up on them if they're still living on their own? Chances are one of you is going to feel put out.
- On whom does the responsibility fall to be the primary caregiver in old age?
The need for greater involvement of one's family in the care of loved ones in later years has never been presented with this much clarity. The government wants you to participate more; heck they're willing to pay you to stay home with Mom/Dad instead of Medicare and Medicaid picking up the tab at a much higher cost. Unless you have a plan to implement to get you through some of these tough times, expect chaos, apathy and total resentment from your siblings.
The last thing any parent wants to see is their kids miserable. Even if you weren't lucky enough to have great role models growing up, there are things you can do to make the transition to caregiver an enjoyable one. Start by meeting with an attorney to map out how your parents will be cared for as they age; he/she will help determine who among you is best equipped (emotionally and financially) to act on behalf of the parents; as well as who gets what when the parents pass. Long-term life-care insurance should be purchased in your 30s, 40s and 50s; any later and it is cost prohibitive. Insurance companies are also looking into insurance policies that let you age-in-place at home by paying for modifications to your house. And there are communities in suburban areas popping up where neighbors share various expenses, making aging-in-place more affordable. Concierge programs and services exist that can help you plan and assist with all your health and wellness needs.
Do you have concerns about taking care of your aging parents? We'd love to hear from you with any questions or comments that you might have.
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