Today in America, we face a caregiving crisis. According to a 2013 report by the AARP, we’re going to have a shortage of family caregivers and it’s costly to hire outside help or pay for long-term nursing home care. Even for those with adequate resources, caregiving is a daunting responsibility.
As part of our continuing Be Well series, we bring you the story of 74-year-old Jim Traxler and his wife of 51 years, Karen. Five years ago the couple was in the midst of enjoying their golden years - something they planned well for. But as we all know, even the best laid plans can run amiss.
In this Ideas segment, ideastream’s Kay Colby takes us on the Traxler’s journey, highlighting four key phases most caregivers go through and a taste of the challenges they pose.