How well do you get along with your brothers and sisters? No matter how close the family, conflicts between brothers and sisters often arise.
I once had a patient that had grown up as the oldest girl in a family of four.
By conventional standards, she was a good person and a good daughter.
She got good grades in school.
She also aspired to be a lawyer.
By all accounts, she was obedient, helpful, and provided a good example to her younger siblings.
However, despite all of this, she was always viewed as the "black sheep" of the family by her mother.
It did not help when she became pregnant as a teenager.
In spite of these setbacks, she attained her goals as an adult and remained a devoted daughter.
In her mother's later years, her mother became sick.
Her mother needed more and more medical and financial support which this eldest daughter gladly provided.
As time went on she noticed that her money and time were being gradually depleted.
She also noticed that her other three siblings contributed very little time or money to the care of their ailing mother.
At first, she did not protest because she was, after all, the eldest daughter.
She had always felt it her responsibility to contribute the "lion share" of support.
But, as time went on, it became more and more difficult for her to keep up.
Finally, she asked her brothers and sisters for help with their mother.
Although her requests were minimal and very reasonable, none of her brothers and sisters offered to help.
This condition persisted for several years.
To this day none of her brothers or sisters has contributed their fair share in helping their mother.
As a consequence, the siblings have grown distant and very resentful.
Not all families have this problem to this degree.
But, having siblings unwilling to care for aging parents is a very common problem.
It can be very frustrating for the sibling contributing most of the help.
It is also frustrating for the other siblings because of guilt and perception.
Whether the problem with Siblings unwilling to care for aging parents is real or perceived, the consequences can be devastating.
Help for siblings unwilling to care for aging parents is available.
There are professionals available to assist with the needs of aging parents and their families.
Most notable of these, is the Health Concierge.
As the name implies, the Health Concierge is like a personal assistant for families and individuals in the health area.
They are also very knowledgeable about health and assistance resources for families and individuals.
They do not require insurance and often offer consultations for free.
They can educate you and your family on all the steps necessary to assist with an aging parent.
They can also research, coordinate, and provide all the assistance necessary for you, your family, and your aging parent.
Best of all, you can get help conveniently over the internet if desired with a Health Virtual Assistant Concierge.