Eventually, however, many family members can no longer provide the care on their own and must seek outside help. There are studies that show that caregiving does take a toll of the health of caregivers. It affects their health status, it heightens existing problems, and it is very fatiguing. While caretaking is something many children want to do for their parents, sometimes it is just too much for them to handle. Determine the cost and what you can afford.
People don t typically anticipate the high costs of long-term care.
It is a difficult issue to be faced with suddenly, but you need to be aware of your personal resources. There is some recognition that we need to do something in this country about meeting the long-term care needs of our aging population. There are some ideas on the table addressing financial relief for families, but we most likely not going to see a comprehensive solution in the near term. As our population ages and more and more baby boomers start to face the high cost of long-term care, it is likely that we will see a national dialogue on this issue in order to help the millions of families coping with these costs. Current estimates suggest there are more than 25 million family caregivers in America.