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Working while managing an elder care emergency
Hey everyone, I honestly survived one of the most stressful days of my life yesterday, and I just had to vent and share because I know so many of us are living on this exact same tightrope.
I was dead in the middle of prepping for a massive afternoon client pitch when my phone blew up. It was my helper, totally panicking because my mum had a fall at home and couldn't get up. My mum’s mobility had been very gradually declining but she was still able to walk around independently on her own within the house so I was completely caught off guard. Even though I think I only caught my breath when she fell asleep in the hospital at night, I’m pretty sure I only survived it because I had been slowly preparing. Early on one of the nurses reminded me that ‘it takes a village’ to care for someone. It really hit home because at that point it was just me living alone with my mum.
Since then I had made some changes. I hired a helper even before it was necessary so that I could train her and for my mum to get comfortable with her before her condition got worse. I made an arrangement with our very kind next-door neighbour who was a house wife. She had a spare house key and immediately ran over when I called her for help. She kept my mum and helper calm while I called for an ambulance and contacted my siblings. I had created an emergency-only chat with my 4 siblings, which all of us pinned, so that we would definitely see the messages. Two of my siblings were able to rush down to my mum and settle the hospital stuff while I quickly finished my client meeting within the hour.
I rushed down immediately after and my siblings and I were able to discuss the suitable options for our mum. I am so glad that I had prepared for an emergency and I cant imagine what would have happened if my mum was all alone and didn’t have the immediate help of my siblings, neighbour and helper. Still, I was really reminded just how fragile our little balancing act is. Does anybody have other tips on how to prepare for an emergency or handle these sudden work-vs-caregiving trainwrecks? I would really love to put in place more precautions especially because I have to continue to work my 9-5 to keep up with the medical bills. Thank you so much!
I was dead in the middle of prepping for a massive afternoon client pitch when my phone blew up. It was my helper, totally panicking because my mum had a fall at home and couldn't get up. My mum’s mobility had been very gradually declining but she was still able to walk around independently on her own within the house so I was completely caught off guard. Even though I think I only caught my breath when she fell asleep in the hospital at night, I’m pretty sure I only survived it because I had been slowly preparing. Early on one of the nurses reminded me that ‘it takes a village’ to care for someone. It really hit home because at that point it was just me living alone with my mum.
Since then I had made some changes. I hired a helper even before it was necessary so that I could train her and for my mum to get comfortable with her before her condition got worse. I made an arrangement with our very kind next-door neighbour who was a house wife. She had a spare house key and immediately ran over when I called her for help. She kept my mum and helper calm while I called for an ambulance and contacted my siblings. I had created an emergency-only chat with my 4 siblings, which all of us pinned, so that we would definitely see the messages. Two of my siblings were able to rush down to my mum and settle the hospital stuff while I quickly finished my client meeting within the hour.
I rushed down immediately after and my siblings and I were able to discuss the suitable options for our mum. I am so glad that I had prepared for an emergency and I cant imagine what would have happened if my mum was all alone and didn’t have the immediate help of my siblings, neighbour and helper. Still, I was really reminded just how fragile our little balancing act is. Does anybody have other tips on how to prepare for an emergency or handle these sudden work-vs-caregiving trainwrecks? I would really love to put in place more precautions especially because I have to continue to work my 9-5 to keep up with the medical bills. Thank you so much!
If you are currently raising kids, managing a demanding job, and keeping an eye on aging parents all at the same time, welcome home. The Sandwich Generation is built for those juggling multiple high-stakes roles. This is where we talk about surviving the busiest years of our lives.
- Created Aug 19, 2026
- Public