I don’t believe elder care is truly tenable for one nuclear family, let alone one person. If we honor God’s image in each human being, especially in the frail, we ought to honor it together. Yet until our society attributes far greater value both to caregivers and those who need care, families will continue to operate in an hour-to-hour survival pattern. Nursing homes will continue to be understaffed and underfunded. Caregivers will continue to burn out. If society is failing to meet these needs, what other options are there?

I’ve learned that caregiving can be draining – and also immensely enriching.