Caring for an aging parent is something most people will have to do at some point in their lifetime. However, you don’t know when the time will come and what your situation will be like. According to an article from AARP, more than ten million millennials are caregivers to an aging parent or a loved one. Being a primary caregiver brings about plenty of challenges in general, but when you consider the responsibilities millennials have in their own lives, it’s easy to see some of the many obstacles they face. Caring for a loved one is an important job, and we’ve highlighted some of the challenges millennials have when taking care of an aging parent.

Proximity To Their Loved Ones

Many millennials today have been to college, explored other cities or countries, and might have settled down in a city far away from their hometown. Millennials are typically less likely to come back home permanently, which makes caring for a loved one from a distance very challenging. Coming back is an option, but it’s not always that easy when you consider job responsibilities and other factors that have them rooted in their current location.

Financial Struggles

Millennials might be just out of college and have mounds of debt as a result, or they could have a family to provide for. Regardless of the specific situation, financial struggles are very real for people in the 18-34-year-old range. Caring for a loved one on top of that can put a significant strain on a budget, especially if the aging parents don’t have the financial means to support themselves. The cost of assisted living facilities is high and not affordable for many families. However, is the cost of caring for an aging parent at home reasonable for your situation?

Prioritizing Responsibilities

A common characteristic for millennials is they are always busy. Whether it’s working hard to advance in their careers, participating in school activities with their kids, or taking care of homeowner responsibilities, millennials constantly have things to do. When an aging parent becomes ill or injured suddenly, priorities have to change just as quickly. Preparing for this is sometimes impossible, but when you have a strong desire to care for your loved one, you’ll find a way to do it no matter how hard it may be.

Next Day Access wants to help seniors stay at home and live as comfortably as possible. We even help primary caregivers by providing seniors living at home with accessibility tools to boost their independence. Peace of mind is sometimes challenging to have as a millennial caregiver, so contact us today to see how we can help you find yours.