What Happens When Siblings Don't See Eye-to-Eye?

Your brother Jack has always been a handful.  And now that your dad is in a facility, he seems to be taking over all the care decisions - even what dad wears and eats.  

Or maybe sister Carmen's insistence that mom push herself and do memory class two times daily is getting on your last nerve.

An elderly parent's care can fray relationships that have been difficult over the years.  Emotions are heightened, the volume goes up, and with the family choosing sides it's looking like Junior and Tony going at it  in The Sopranos. 

The stress of caring for an elder - whether at home or in a facility - is real.  And it often doesn't improve things between family members.

Cathy Cress has written a book that addresses this issue - Mom Loves You Best: Forgiving and Forging Sibling Relationships.  

A Siblings Guide to Caring for Aging Parents, from PBS, may also  be of help.

Helping your elder parents just may be the opportunity you've needed to clear away old baggage and start fresh with forgiveness.