Cognitively Impaired Elderly and Their Adult Children

Abstract

An aging parent’s development of a cognitive impairment requires significant changes in the lives of that individual and his or her family. Adult children may be required to assume caregiving responsibilities and may experience feelings of loss, as well as conflicting feelings of guilt, apprehension, anger, and resentment towards these responsibilities. This article explores the dynamic that underlies these sentiments and suggests strategies to maximize parent-child communication and facilitate the relationship between cognitively impaired elderly adults and their adult children.