Abstract
What are the obligations of sisters and brothers to share in the responsibility of caring for frail, elderly parents? For example, may a loving daughter or son relinquish caregiving responsibilities for a parent disabled by a stroke who is no longer able to speak, move, or swallow? If so, how should we understand the increased burden this creates for other siblings? For example, is burdening siblings unfair? Or is the decision to do less better described as a failure to meet expectations, a disappointment, or inconvenience to others, rather than an injustice? Are there any parent care activities that cannot be let go? For example, must adult children come to the aid of a widowed parent with a chronic, progressive dementia, such as Alzheimer’s? Assuming the parent is no longer able to understand his situation or recognize family members, must adult offspring step in to protect the parent’s welfare? For example, must they assume such responsibilities as committing him to a nursing home, taking over medical decision making, managing financial affairs, and monitoring the situation over time? Or would it be ethical to allow the situation to deteriorate until legal authorities intercede because the parent is a danger to self or others? Assuming there are obligations adult children owe their parents, what division of labor among siblings is just? Does fair sharing of parent care require each sibling to be equally involved, minimally involved, or to abide by an agreed upon division of labor?
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Jecker, N.S. (2001). Family Caregiving. In: Weisstub, D.N., Thomasma, D.C., Gauthier, S., Tomossy, G.F. (eds) Aging: Caring for Our Elders. International Library of Ethics, Law, and the New Medicine, vol 11. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-0675-9_2
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-0675-9_2
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