Elizabeth picks up the paper and tries to read it. Again. Frustration tears her heart open. The words are no longer clear, just like the numbers on the stove and the labels on the bottles.

“Hi, Mom!” Jane bounds in, but notices the grimace on her aging mother’s face and hides her concern. Her mother’s deterioration is heartbreaking. Yet, every day, she comes over to hug and kiss her, just to let her know she’s going to be okay.

The facts gnaw at her more with each visit. She and her husband stress and struggle with their finances, because they know there’s little alternative for Elizabeth – but they just don’t know how to handle the financial burden that comes with caring for the elderly.

Caring for the Elderly: The Numbers

According to AssistedLivingToday.com, the average cost of a shared room in a nursing home is $93,072 per year. Per year! Most people don’t have that sort of money just lying around. Yet, with family demands growing each year, there are fewer hours available to take care of our aging parents ourselves.

Are the elderly doomed? Is Jane supposed to surrender her guilt, knowing she can’t afford to care for the woman who stayed up at night when she was sick, gave her food, and changed her diapers because she doesn’t have the money to see her commitment to her mother through?

No. For many, that’s not an option.

So the stress and strain of tending to the elderly become a financial struggle, as well as an emotional and psychological weight. Luckily, you’ll be able to overcome these hardships and do your duty as a child without losing your mind with some strategy and patience. Here are…

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