Caregiver Health Must Be Weighed Against Elder's Desire To Remain In Home

Dear Carol: I’m struggling with trying to find answers on how I can help my elderly mother. I’m 67, I’m retired and I live an hour away from my 87-year-old mom who has heart failure. Mom still lives alone in her house and this is very important to her. As her condition has worsened, she’s required more help from my sister who lives just 10 minutes away. My sister runs all of mom’s errands, completes all of her chores, and checks in on her several times a day. On top of this, my sister still works full time and won’t be able to retire for a three more years. I visit mom a couple times a month to give my sister a rest, but I fear as moms health continues to fail, that won't be enough. I feel guilty for not doing more but I am too far away. I love the town I live in as it is close to my daughter and grandchildren.  Should I move? – BT Read the full column on Inforum about including caregiver health when deciding on mother's care: Support a caregiver or jump-start discussion in support groups with real stories - for bulk orders of Minding Our Elders e-mail Carol                    Related StoriesAn Elder's Loneliness Depends on PersonalityHow do You Break the News That a Loved One is Going on Hospice CarePreserving Brain Health: Memory Expert Separates Fact From Fiction 
Source: Minding Our Elders - Category: Geriatrics Authors: Source Type: blogs