Fears about getting good help and affording the cost. Uncertainty about what comes next. Resentment of the sacrifices demanded. To top it off, old family rifts and rivalries tend to emerge. Caregivers need to find sources of emotional support, whether it's from friends, family members, counselors, clergy or support groups.
Charlotte has several support groups for people caring for the elderly.
Many participants know the long-distance dilemmas. Ford flies there two or three times a year, and calls overseas a couple of times a month. He has two young children at home and parents in their 80s who are starting to need help in their Charlotte home. An only child, Brown tries to schedule long Charlotte layovers on his business flights so he can dash to their house and check on them. Both parents have trouble getting around but don't want to leave the home where Ken grew up.