Caregivers Coping in a Bad Economy

Making Ends Meet

For Linda and Robert Audy, caring for Linda’s 84-year-old mother in their home requires an unending blend of dedication, hard work and tremendous compassion, as well as their nimble handling of a wealth of financial considerations. The Audys, along with millions of caregivers across the nation, are facing the mounting expense of caring for their loved ones. And as the economy continues to worsen, many are looking for ways to protect their bottom line.

“The economy has completely altered the way we are taking care of my mother,” says Linda Audy, of Bahama, North Carolina. “One year ago, when she broke her hip, my mom left the hospital to go to assisted living and she recovered nicely and went back to her apartment.”

This year, after another procedure on her mother, Helena Mann, the Audys planned to follow the same course of care. “However, my husband, Robert, lost his construction job. His boss said there was no work because of the recession, and no sign of work in the future,” Linda says. “On top of that, he was also in the hospital, and he lost his job before he could collect disability. So, with no paycheck, and with mounting medical bills, we brought my mom in to stay with us. Assisted living was just too expensive.”

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