The Aging of America

The New York Times reported today that there are new choices for taking care of the 4.2 million Americans over age 85. Do you know any of the aging Americans who need a little extra help these days?

I do. My paternal grandparents are 92 and 85. And, as they’re aging, they need some extra help with things that they used to be able to take care of on their own. It’s difficult for them to keep up with housework, like vacuuming, laundry and dusting. Preparing meals isn’t as simple of a task for them as it used to be, especially since they can’t drive themselves to the grocery store to pick up extra ingredients. Their mental and physical health is sharply declining and it’s painful for me to watch them deteriorate so drastically.

While it hurts me, I am not the family member overwhelmed with the responsibility of determining how to best help my grandparents live out the rest of their years. My baby boomer dad struggles—his head and heart at odds—as he is forced to make financial and healthcare decisions for his parents.

My family’s situation is pretty typical. My dad is among the 21% of Americans who are currently caring for an aging parent or have in the past. Luckily, he’s avoided the fate of many—he wouldn’t be like the 43% of his counterparts who have dealt with family disputes related to caring for elderly parents.

The graying of America and the struggle to help aging parents retain their health, independence and dignity is so prevalent that it has spawned an ongoing feature by NBC News. Trading Places: Caring for Your Parents offers practical advice for the sandwich generation of care givers, provides resources for information on aging and chronicles newscasters’ personal experiences with their own parents.

Have you been faced with the challenge of caring for an aging family member? How did you handle it?