Episode 18: Boundaries & Financial Decision-Making: Navigating Tough Conversations

25/02/2025 5 min
Episode 18: Boundaries & Financial Decision-Making: Navigating Tough Conversations

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Episode Synopsis

In this episode of The Aging Parent Playbook, Dr. Barbara Sparacino discusses the delicate and complex issue of financial boundaries in caregiving. What happens when a sibling asks your aging parent for money, and you’re the one responsible for safeguarding their financial well-being? Through real-life strategies and a compelling case study, we explore how to balance autonomy and protection, set boundaries, and navigate tough family conversations with grace.What You’ll Learn in This Episode: How to initiate financial boundary conversations with an aging parent. The role of a financial proxy and how to protect parental assets. The story of Lisa: A caregiver navigating her mother’s financial care and a dependent sibling. How to set up financial safeguards to prevent excessive spending and family conflict. Ways to support a financially dependent sibling while maintaining boundaries.Key Takeaways: Have compassionate yet firm conversations to prioritize your parent’s financial security. Leverage third-party experts like financial planners to set clear, objective boundaries. Implement financial safeguards such as automatic bill pay and withdrawal limits. Offer alternative solutions to a dependent sibling instead of direct financial assistance. Reframe family expectations to break cycles of financial dependence.

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