It's a Family Affair: The New Face of Caregiving

Older adults are living longer now than previous generations. This means adult children caring for elderly parents are likely to be approaching 70 themselves. Allen Geiwitz, a 71 year-old retired computer programmer, knows the strain this can have on older adult caregivers. As a single man, he was spending three to four days a week at his parents' apartment caring for their needs. After the death of Allen's father, his mother could no longer manage living on her own. The probable next step would have been for Allen to move in; but as an older and single fulltime caregiver, he'd be sure to face many challenges. So the decision was made to move his mother into Glen Meadows Retirement Community where he would be certain she would have access to a full continuum of care. And now at the age of 71, what would be next for Allen? Well, he decided to move in too!

Read the full story in this NYTimes.com article, "A Twist on Caring for a Parent: Move Into the Home," to discover the new face of caregiving changing the landscape of senior care.

[Photo Credit: Matt Roth for The New York Times]