Every 6 seconds someone turns 60.
That also suggests that every 6 seconds, someone’s aging parent turned 80, 85, or more.
There’s a sea of us with aging parents who are presenting all manner of challenges for us Boomers. One of the most daunting is the necessity to interface with siblings. Maybe we never got along. Maybe we’ve been estranged for a few years. Whatever it is, we find ourselves having to make decisions we never considered making.
Does Mom or Dad have enough money to live on? What about paying for help at home? Who is going to be the caregiver when an aging parent requires our involvement? There are disagreements about who makes the financial decisions. There are disagreements about what kind of care a parent needs and how it should be paid for.
We at AgingParents.com are advocates for the family meeting. We think it’s a great place to start the process of ironing out the difficulties with siblings who in one way or another share the role of addressing aging parents’ needs. Part of our work is to conduct family meetings.
Consider these alternatives:
- If you and your siblings don’t do well face-to-face, try email as a start. Keep it objective and don’t personalize anything with a sibling who has never stepped up in the past. Test the waters.
- If the siblings can meet by phone, that’s even better. It allows for exchange of ideas and efforts at problem-solving that can’t be done as well by email.
- The best way to get everyone on board is the in-person family meeting, which can be done after any family occasion, or before, if all are willing to plan for setting the time aside. If you shudder at this thought, here’s a quick way to learn techniques to stay sane through any family meeting.
- If you are ready to get started with your own changes, to make a difference in your
own life now, register below to qualify for your Strategy Session.
A strategy session with Ms. Rosenblatt can change everything about
how you see yourself. CLICK HERE
It can transform your family dynamics, help you see and feel your own power, keep
balance in your life and shift your mind about your situation.
When you’ve got more confidence about this subject of dealing with your siblings, it will be easier to show some leadership in your family. Whether you parent is turning 80, 90 or beyond, you’ll know what to do.
© 2010, AgingParents.com