The 50-50 RuleSM
New Program Helps Siblings Overcome Family Conflict While Caring for Aging Parents
Courtesy Home Instead Senior Care, Linn County LIVING WELL Magazine
Mary has been waiting for a promotion for years. “This job is just what I’ve dreamed about,” she excitedly told her friend. But then Mary’s mom broke her hip. Mary is thrust into the role of family caregiver and is struggling to keep up with the demands of her new job. “I hate the feeling that I have to choose between caring for my mom and a new job because my siblings aren’t helping.”
Caregivers encounter situations like this each day. Caregiver stress, life-and-death medical crises, financial problems and property disputes often become part of the ongoing saga of a family’s caregiving story. Relationships between adult siblings can suffer as a result.
That’s why the local Home Instead Senior Care® launched the 50-50 RuleSM, a program that offers strategies for overcoming sibling differences to help families provide the best care for elderly parents.
“Anyone that has cared for a loved one knows that it can lead to family strife,” said Karen Huber, owner of the local Home Instead Senior Care®. “Making decisions together, dividing the workload and teamwork are the keys to avoiding family conflict.”
The 50-50 Rule refers to the average age (50) when siblings are caring for their parents as well as the need to divide care 50-50. Inability to work together can deteriorate relationships among siblings.
“Like all relationships, siblings have a history,” expert Dr. Ingrid Connidis from the University of Western Ontario notes. “Even the best of circumstances, though, can cause a strain for a family dealing with the issues of an aging parent. That’s where the free 50-50 Rule guide of family situations will help siblings struggling with topics from trying to divide care and work better as a team to deal with end-of-life issues. “Sometimes problems can be alleviated with a little extra care for seniors and respite for family caregivers,” Huber says.
The extra effort will be well worth it, Connidis explains. “After parents, siblings are the ones we’ve known the longest. So there is a depth of empathy we can tap into that goes back to that relationship. Memories are what motivate us to care for our parents and each other. It’s what keeps us connected, even when we’re different.”
Call Home Instead Senior Care today at 319-247-0400 to get your free 50-50 Rule Booklet and learn how Karen and her team can help you and your family.
