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Elderly parents

I’m broken or nearly

53 replies

getmeadrinkor12 · 16/10/2026 10:48

I will try to be brief. I’m 4 hours away from 6 elderly relatives all in various stages of need. My parents and their siblings/spouses. There are 2 others of my generation nearer but they have Very Important careers which I used to have too but now semi retired, but the work I do have is full of stress and deadlines. My own health isn’t great. I do everything I can from a distance, admin, arranging deliveries and so on and we phone all the time. Elderly relatives all comfortably off so pay for whatever help they can. But…I’m under increasing pressure to be there, take them to appointments, sort stuff out. How do you balance it all? How do you set boundaries? I feel broken already and it’s not even that bad yet in terms of their health and needs.

OP posts:
CanYouComeUp · 16/10/2026 11:01

I think not taking them to appointments is the first, clearest and most easily defined boundary. And is definitely a ludicrous ask on their part given location.

user47639820987 · 16/10/2026 10:59

Honestly, don’t start doing stuff you are not prepared to carry on with long term. You are much too far away for being appointment chaperone. Taxi there and back. You have to protect your boundaries now or you will be sucked in to full time carers position before you know it! You are helping them create an illusion of independence, which is fine up to a point but I really would decide now what you are prepared to do and stick with it. Use that 4hr gap to your advantage! Or move your parents closer and leave your aunts and uncles to your cousins?

Hohofortherobbers · 16/10/2026 10:58

You cannot take on 6! Do your aunts uncles have their own dc?

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