‘I Wish I Had Known That No One Was Going to Help Me’: Caregivers Worry About a Lack of Resources

The article highlights the challenges faced by adult children in caring for their aging parents by highlighting interviews with several individuals, discussing issues such as unreliable home health care agencies, a lack of assistance, and financial constraints. 

One of the individuals interviewed shares their personal experience caring for both of their parents, who both passed away from cancer and now a 97-year-old grandmother with moderate dementia. The difficulties include securing Medicaid long-term care and finding consistent and reliable home health aides. 

The desperation of agencies to hire workers is emphasized, leading to abrupt cancellations and late notices, causing emotional and physical exhaustion. The overall sentiment is that the current healthcare system for the elderly is neglected, broken, and inadequate to meet basic needs.

For more information see Reed Abelson “‘I Wish I Had Known That No One Was Going to Help Me’”, The New York Times, 14, 2023.

Special thanks to Lewis Saret (Attorney, Washington, D.C.) for bringing this article to my attention.