As the only child of divorced parents, I (Lisa) have always understood that it would be my responsibility to care for my parents when they reached a certain age. That time has come, and the challenge of caring for an elderly parent is greater than I ever imagined.

My father passed away from terminal cancer on January 12, 2022. A Puerto Rican man once brimming with arrogance and machismo, my father ultimately faded into a frail version of himself. We resided on opposite coasts from one another – he in Georgia, I in California. Every few weeks I left my husband, children, and business behind to travel to Georgia and manage my father’s overall care. When not in Georgia, a team of hired caregivers took my place in whatever capacity my father would allow. The financial, physical, and emotional strain of juggling it all was significant and ultimately led to a depression diagnosis for myself. As a society, we acknowledge that long-term care for our elderly is severely lacking across all platforms. Caregiver support is even less prevalent. And with birth rates continually declining, we will soon live in an upside-down society with more elderly than there are caregivers available.

The need for visibility on this topic is now.