Lots of families have one: a family
freeloader. The adult child who still gets money from parents each month to
make it… What brings this to a crisis point is that a parent’s health fails
or a parent passes away. Then what?
What happens when a family has a
(healthy) adult child who never leaves home, or returns home with no plans to
leave? Friction. Animosity. Or in a word . . . problems.
This scenario becomes particularly
painful when the parents become elderly, especially when the adult child “freeloader”
continues to mooch off of the aging parents and even begins to abuse the aging
parents. The responsible adult children, who have lives of their own, may come
to their wit’s end. Ultimately, everything comes to a head when the elderly
parents need care and can no longer care for the adult child. What then?
This is an increasingly common
problem, given the recent economic unpleasantries and the expanding retirement
bubble of aging baby-boomers. Fortunately, Forbes
recently explored this conundrum in an article titled “What Siblings Need to Do About Aging Parents
and The Family Freeloader.”
So, what can you do? While it’s
still hard to say for certain, since every family is different, you need to
deal with it.
Out of concern for everyone, and
despite whatever family baggage may exist, you must find a solution. In most
instances an Elder Law Attorney should be consulted to ensure the protection of
the elder parents, especially if financial elder abuse is suspected. You should discuss whether a conservatorship is an option to protect your elderly parent.
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Reference: Forbes
(September 16, 2012) “What Siblings Need to Do About Aging Parents
and The Family Freeloader”
Suggested Key Words:
Elder Law