Taking care of aging parents is something no one looks forward to, but at least it is something you can anticipate.  “You never think you’ll be caring for your siblings,” said one of two sisters who shared dinner with us and a group of their 50-60 year old friends in Seattle. 

Each sister shared the personal impact of taking care of their elder brother who is suffering from progressive Alzheimer’s disease.  “It is so hard to watch because he was always the one to take care of things in the family,” said the other sister. “And now he can’t even take care of himself.”  He is in his mid-sixties and has just been moved into a full-time care facility.

Fortunately, their brother has the financial resources to provide not only for his care but for the family he can no longer care for. “I don’t know what people without means will do when this happens to them,” said one sister.

Others at the table who are caring for ailing parents talk about the challenges of coordinating care with their siblings.  All agree that no one has a good solution for sharing the load.  For now, they manage as best they can on their own using telephone, email and in-person meetings to stay in touch and in concert with each other. 

A health care company who could help facilitate the exchange of information and decision-making among siblings would certainly find a warm welcome from these women and the countless others trying to work together to give their parents the same or better care than they were able to provide their children.