I was reading on Countryside Magazines website this morning and I loved the article “Growing Old in the New Normal Will Present Some Special Problems”.
There is so much truth in this and many of these things I’ve started to notice myself.  My health isn’t the best, and I have trouble keeping up with things like I did a few years ago and I’m just in my 30′s!
In generations past families lived together and tasks were shared.  As mom and dad aged, they could take on easier rolls on the homestead.  Shelling peas, watching the little grandchildren etc.  Now most families don’t live together when the children have grown and married.Personally I think that this is something that will change as time goes on.  With the economy not being good, so many people are having a hard time keeping up.  Huge numbers of the younger generations are still living at home because they can’t find work, and are hugely burdened with education debt.
Their parents or grandparents are having a hard time keeping up with the heating bills in the winter.  Not to mention the ever rising gas and grocery prices.  This is on top of the normal physical work it takes to care for a home or homestead.
I think that as time goes on we will see more families going back to the way things used to be and sharing their homes more often.  As long as families get along well, there are huge benefits to this.  Not only are living expenses shared, but the grandparents can spend more time with their grandchildren.  Likewise it helps to give mom and dad a break!  Chores can be better shared based on each persons abilities.

I’m seeing more of this happening in our area, and if the economy keeps heading the way it has I expect more families will find this is a good solution for them.