In my family, I was the default caregiver.Not only was I the one who lived in the same town as my parents, my aunt and uncle, and my in-laws, I was most suited emotionally to caregiving. It's always been in my nature. I was, however, fortunate to have a sister who lived 50 miles away. She did her best with our parents, driving in from the lake country of Minnesota nearly every weekend so she could visit them. We have a brother who lives in Kansas, but the journey home was a long one, so he wasn't as involved. We all get along well, so I really had no complaints about sibling help, even though their daily care was my responsibility.
Read more about sibling issues:
Good advice and suggestions. Being a care giver can be stressful and it's important to discuss everyone's role, develop and agree on a plan. Take turns, break tasks up so no one sibling is overwhelmed. As you suggest, communication is key.
Posted by: Elderly Medical Alert | Tuesday, August 31, 2010 at 08:10 PM