Caring for aging parents can take many forms.
For some grown children, that care may be as simple as mowing a lawn a couple of times a month.
Others may need to drive their elderly parents to the grocery store or make sure that financial matters have been attended to and bills are paid.
Still others may have to help attend to basic daily needs of infirm parents.
Some grown children may have actually reversed roles with their parents, and now they are the cooks, maids, and sitters.
If you have taken up this role, then you are certainly not alone.
The informal, unpaid caregiving duties are valued at over 3 billion dollars in the US.
The value of this contribution totals up to more than Medicaid spending for long term care.
This does take the pressure off of government programs.
You may feel as if you are just doing your duty to the people who dedicated a good part of their lives to bring you up, but you should also take a moment to pat yourself on your back.
Even though you may not believe your contribution is noticed, believe me, it has been.
But even though you are providing a valuable contribution to yourself, and to your elderly parents, you may be paying a price.
Caregivers do suffer from anxiety and depression.
Some resent the burden, but then feel guilt over the resentment.
You may also be missing time from work, just as you do when you have to stay home because a child is ill.
Some employers are friendly towards adult custodians of elderly parents, but some employees have not progressed to that point yet.
This can be a source of additional stress.
Of course, you want to be a responsible adult child, and since you love your parents, you do want to make sure they are well cared for.
However, you will not do anybody good in the long term if you do not accept some help when you need it.
If you are feeling the strain, do not be afraid to look into sources of help.
Services are out there, from counseling to home health care professionals to adult day cares.
If you can release some of the burden, your relationship with your charges will improve, and everybody will be happier in the long run.