Don't do this to your children

Shortly after my father passed my mother had a few falls and my brother chose to move her in with him. They found a caregiver that would help her get ready each day and sit with her, take her to appointments, lunch, etc. That was just while my brother and his wife were at work, the evenings and weekends were on them. Later it got more difficult and I would need to help my brother get her to bed. The caregivers rate wasn't that bad, far cheaper than a home, my mothers income was about neutral with her expenses. Having someone there to socialize was a major help.

I personally will be looking at options for myself as I have no children and don't want to burden my brothers or their families. We all lead different lives and there have been no patterns in my family, I just want to understand what the options are and have a plan.


Alan