As a parent gets older, the dynamic within your family may change. The adult children may become the primary caregivers rather than the carefree children they’ve enjoyed being for so long. Tensions may arise between siblings as they adapt to their new normal. Senior care isn’t always easy, and making decisions and delegating responsibilities between multiple people can be tough. It’s important to be honest with one another and communicate often so that everyone knows each family member is doing their best.

Reasons for Disagreements

Senior care comes with different complications and responsibilities than caring for a child. Managing finances and determining who is paying for what regarding your parent’s treatment is a point of contention for a lot of adult siblings.

Lack of clarity regarding roles and responsibilities can also cause problems. Completing chores and transporting your parent to doctor’s appointments or other activities can get complicated, as finding time can be a struggle when your life is already busy. Maybe one sibling has a demanding career that requires more hours while another has children and a family of their own that they feel they need to focus on. The physical proximity of the children may be a point of contention as well since one sibling may have to travel farther.

Potential Solutions  

It's important to sit down with your siblings and discuss each others’ roles and responsibilities. Each caretaker should think objectively about their abilities and how much time they can dedicate to your parent’s care. Since circumstances change and situations shift, you may want to schedule a routine check-in discussion with your siblings to alter the plan as needed.

Assigning responsibilities is tough, so you may need to write down the pros and cons of each sibling regarding certain tasks. Maybe one sibling has the ability to spend quality time with your parent and provide them with transportation but can't contribute too much financially at the moment. If each of you identifies your own strengths and weaknesses, you may be able to compromise and better understand which sibling should take on each task.

Lastly, it’s important to be empathetic and realistic. After some discussions with your parent, the family may want to consider an assisted living community. This way, you and your siblings can remain close with your parent and know they’re receiving quality care at all times.

Abbington Assisted Living is proud to provide senior care throughout Columbus, Pickerington, Powell, Chillicothe, and Coshocton, OH. Abbington senior living communities are one-story buildings that are designed with comfort and security in mind, offering comprehensive nursing care services in a compassionate, comfortable, and cost-effective manner. Please visit our website or call us directly at (614) 451-4575 in Columbus, (614) 577-0822 in Pickerington, (614) 789-9868 in Powell, (740) 773-4630 in Chillicothe, or (740) 623-4600 in Coshocton.