General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: A feminist issue - caregiving of elderly parents [View all]frazzled
(18,402 posts)a copy of Roz Chast's new graphic memoir, Can't We Talk About Something More Pleasant?. It's been getting a ton of press lately. I laughed, I cried. Here are some excerpts.
http://www.newyorker.com/sandbox/sketchbook/chast-parents/
I might just say, issues with siblings seem to be the worst side effect of aging parents. You disagree about what kind of care is needed, what medications they should be taken off of, who is trying to make all the decisions without consulting the others, etc. You know what? I've decided that should not happen, and it's a dishonor to your parents to to ruin your relationship with your sisters and brothers. Let it go.
ON EDIT: I'm not so sure we should generalize about gender with respect to this issue. My brother, because he lives in the same city, has born the brunt of looking after my aging parents (88 and 97), along with his wife. Our parents have been quite independent until six weeks ago, when my father slipped on ice and broke his femur in three places. Then my sister came from across the country and spent a week with him in the hospital, and I and my husband have come from out of town to spend several long weekends caring for him after he got home. My husband is the best caretaker in the world. He took over the care of his mother (with my assistance) in a nursing home for the last two and a half years of her life, and was truly remarkable in his attention and care.
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