The phone call is always a surprise—a relative has fallen ill, and you, as the closest family, are called in to begin managing their care. This includes everything from doctor's visits, home health, tasks of daily living, financial responsibilities, and possibly end-of-life decisions. Most of us do not have a plan for what happens when we are asked to step-in for a parent, and even fewer of us are prepared for the stress of taking responsibility for an aunt, uncle or sibling. Tune in for a conversation with the Reluctant Therapist, Elizabeth Barrett, and elder care advocate Linda Beck about her experiences being called into action and how it led her into an entirely new life and career.
Elizabeth Barrett is a wife, mother, licensed marriage-family therapist, educator, eavesdropper, emotion worker, and mental health consultant. She uses all of these skills to address the subjects that we all struggle with in this conversation with the Reluctant Therapist.