I’m in my 60s, taking care of my 84-year-old mom, who lives with me. Caregiving is the hardest job I've ever had.
A woman in her 60s shares the emotional and physical challenges of caring for her 84-year-old mother with dementia. She discusses the difficulty of balancing a full-time job with the responsibilities of being a primary caregiver.
Why it matters
Addresses the growing 'sandwich generation' crisis and the personal toll of elder care in the absence of robust support systems.
Carla Romagnano and her mom. Carla Romagnano Carla Romagnano's mom moved to Idaho so that Romagnano could take care of her. Romagnano said it feels like she has two full-time jobs — her bookkeeping job and caregiving. She makes sure her mom gets out of the house, such as having a weekly meal at a restaurant. This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Carla Romagnano, who is in her 60s and lives in Idaho with her 84-year-old mom. The following has been edited for length and clarity. In 2022, my mom had a major fall, and prior to that, she was diagnosed with dementia . She broke her femur from the fall, and she needed 24-hour care. I knew my dad wouldn't be able to do that for her, so we hired an in-home caregiver for at least a year.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in