It takes a village to raise a child AND care for an aging parent.
Many of us have heard the proverb, “It takes a village to raise a child”. I heard it in passing the other day and silently thought, it also takes a village to care for an aging parent!
The difference is that raising a child is considered a wonderful joy, and there are various blogs, websites, books, shows, clubs and resources available to parents to help them through the challenges. However, caring for an aging or disabled parent can be viewed as the “right thing to do”, but it’s certainly not considered “joyful” or “glamorous”. In the U.S., it seems we have created a culture that believes the problem will solve itself while the “silver tsunami” is well on it’s way. There is no doubt that caring for an aging parent can weigh heavily on a family financially, physically and emotionally.
For those of us like me who are faced with this challenge, caring for an aging parent requires daily support as we navigate the system and all of the available resources. As a business owner in the senior care industry, I’ve found that this has its advantages preparing me and guiding me to reputable resources. But, it can still be very confusing.
When I started this journey a couple of years ago, I had no idea the wonderful people I’d meet, the assistance I’d be able to provide families as they experienced unique challenges, and how much I would need the resources myself in caring for my own family.
To those colleagues who have become referral partners, thank you. To those I have yet to meet, I look forward to meeting you. I will be sharing some resources from my own “village” on my Facebook page over the coming weeks. Please follow my Hallmark Homecare page here:
https://www.facebook.com/hallmarkhomecare/
If you have a personal family situation and are in need of guidance for an aging loved one, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me directly. I’m happy to help or refer you to someone who can. After all, it still takes a village.
http://www.hallmarkhomecare.com/centralflorida
Denise Sullivan