Counseling adult children of aging parents

U.S. Census Bureau projections indicate that by the year 2020, the number of Americans 65 years and older will increase from the present 33.2 million to 53 million, making one in six, versus the current one in eight, a senior citizen. Adult children and their aging parents are virtually unindoctrinated in ways to effectively cope with increased longevity and fewer caregivers. The prevailing trend in parent care leaves adult children grossly unprepared to meet both personal needs and the developmental needs of their parents. This creates an opportunity for mental health professionals to assist in changes with societal implications that may enrich the lives of many generations. With reference to adult children and aging parents, issues of dependency, loneliness, communication developmental decline, alternative living arrangements, and their implications for mental health professionals are examined in this article.