Long Distance Caregiving

Dorothy is a 56-year-old woman living alone in a small house with Bitsy, her German Shepard. She works in a mid-sized office as a paralegal clerk and enjoys going to concerts and art galleries with her friends. Dorothy is an only child, and responsibility for her mother’s care has fallen to her by default. Her father died 10 years ago, and there are no aunts or uncles close by to help. She had just come home from a long day at work, and checked her voice mail messages. Her mother’s neighbor had left a message saying that mother had not picked up her newspaper or her mail for three days. When the neighbor knocked on the door, Dorothy’s mother opened it, appearing confused. The neighbor took Dorothy’s mother home to spend the night at her house. Dorothy’s heart sank, but she quickly called the neighbor and said “Thanks. I’ll make arrangements to come right away.” Long Distance Caregiving