News 8
Aging in America: Strain care giving places on marriage 
11:59 AM CDT on Friday, July 3, 2009
Experts say children who care for an aging parent are often under incredible emotional stress.
And that pressure can sometimes put a marriage to the test.
Susan Swank is the Dallas Association of Marriage and Family Therapy President and a licensed family therapist in Carrollton.
She has three suggestions to help couples through the stress of caring for a parent.
The first is to communicate with each other.
"It keeps them connected," Swank said. "It gives them a forum to express their own frustrations and hopefully keeps them keeps them working as a team."
Next, she says make sure to take a break together, a time where you don't focus on problems.
"Let's say they had a date on the weekend, do something fun. Go dancing. Do something that takes you back to a more positive connection you have with your spouse," Swank said.
Finally, Swank says it's important to meet with the family and take your kids feelings into consideration, too.
"Warm, open, conveying that this is a sad situation and a difficult situation," she said.
The good news, says Swank, is as difficult as it can be, the situation can make a family stronger.
"It can draw the couple closer and whole family in general."
