Taking Care of Mom and Dad: The Mechanics of Taking Care of Your Parents in Their Time of Need

Caring for aging parents–from establishing power of attorney to investing wisely for catastrophic medical care to the impact of role reversal–is going to be a grim reality for many Americans. The statistics are scary: Two out of every three people under 40 in the year 2000 will have to either assist or maintain an elderly parent's lifestyle during that parent's life. The old model of relying on pensions or Social Security doesn't work anymore in the New Economy. This means that the assumptions at the base of the average American's financial planning no longer apply. Sons and daughters caught in the OsandwichO generationNbetween needy children and frail parentsNknow that this surprising social change can be a crippling financial burden. People in early middle-age now need to take a more aggressive role in the financial life of their mothers and fathers, and then cope with the difficulty of switching traditional roles with their parents. With an actuary's eye for detail and a caring son's attention to nuance, the author guides the reader through the financial, bureaucratic and sociological thickets to a clear understanding of what it takes to actually take care of mom and Dad!