Caregiving is a heavy burden for an only child

Many baby boomers are currently taking care of older adults, but the burden may be the heaviest on families with only one child, according to The New York Times.


Regina Milgram-Bossong is the sole caretaker for her parents, both of whom suffer from serious medical conditions. Her 84-year-old father is a diabetic and has had a hip replacement, while her mother is a survivor of ovarian cancer and had heart valve surgery in 2009.


While the couple is enjoying their independent living, Milgram-Bossong told the news provider that she is frightened of the near future because she has no one with whom to share the burden of caregiving.


"Even if I had a sibling in California, I'd have someone to talk to.

I have no one to bounce ideas off, to think about what I'm not thinking about," she told the news provider.


In this kind of situation, it is important for caregivers to not completely sacrifice themselves for their parents, particularly if they have a family of their own. OnlyChildProject.com states that it may be necessary for only children to gently tell parents that they have a life outside of them, and other people need their attention as well.

 


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