Providing care for your parents can be complicated. When your brothers and sisters are also involved, caregiving can become even more complex. While your siblings can be enormously helpful and your best support, they can also be a source of stress.
Today’s adult children and their parents are going through a new kind of family transition. Because parents are living longer—but with chronic illnesses—their adult children are now caring for them for up to a decade or more. Siblings—or in some cases step-siblings—might not have a model for how to work together to handle caregiving and the many practical, emotional and financial issues that go with it. There is no clear path guiding who should do what, no roadmap for how siblings should interact as mature adults.
Dealing with your siblings over parent care can be difficult, complex and emotional. It is important to understand your own emotions at this challenging time and to try to have sympathy for your siblings’ feelings as well, even if you disagree. Family dynamics were present prior to your caring for your parent(s) and you may not be able to resolve existing conflicts now to your satisfaction. The important thing is to be sure to get support for yourself so that you can find peace during your caregiving journey, and once it is completed.
For more helpful tips on how to successfully caregive with your siblings click here to read the full article.
*Information provided by the Family Caregiver Alliance- www.caregiver.org.