What to Do Now to Be Ready for Tomorrow’s Reality
Generations ago, it was accepted that elderly parents would be cared for by their adult children, with women (aka “the homemakers”) handling most of the physical and emotional burden. This was also a time when siblings and members of the extended family lived in close proximity, ready to step in when needed.
But times have changed, and families are rarely in the same state, let alone the same ZIP code. And women, although still bearing most of the caregiving burden (66%, according to Caregiving in the U.S.), in many cases are also employed outside the home.
Add to that the rising cost of assistance provided by professionals (estimated at $43,000 to $70,000 annually for eight hours a day of home health care alone) and it’s no surprise that the cost of caregiving can keep both the cared-for and the care-provider awake at night.
According to an AARP study, about 42 million people in the U.S. have