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Aging parents can strain families and their finances 2010-02-22 Caring for elderly parents can be a challenge and may imperil working adults' own retirement, family counselors suggest. Canwest News Service recently reviewed a book that details the challenges faced by adults who must care for relatives in concert with their siblings; the book, entitled "They're Your Parents, Too," reveals that the transition of children becoming caregivers is a major one. As author Francine Russo noted, caring for parents brings into sharp relief the difficulty of aging. Seeing parents age is "one of the hardest psychological crises of [adults'] lives," she said. In an Associated Press articletwo weeks ago, AARP family expert Amy Goyer said that forethought is essential to making elder care work. Adults "really need to think about [caring for their aging parents] and do some planning," she was quoted as saying. The news service's article added that an estimated 38 million people in the U.S. provide care to an older relative - and for those who offer financial support, the strain can be particularly great. In addition to planning far in advance, the AP says, adults should examine costs closely and have talks with both their parents and their siblings.  |
