More parents move in with kids

I read an interesting article about family housing trends in the US. Here is an excerpt:

In the 1990s, your family came for dinner. Now they're moving in.
The number of parents, siblings and other relatives who live with adult heads of households grew 42% from 2000 to 2007, according to data released Tuesday by the U.S. Census Bureau.
Leading the way: parents, up 67%, to 3.6 million.

The figures suggest it isn't only elderly parents moving in. The number of parents under 65 in these households increased by 75%, and those 65 and older were up 62%. Both groups outpaced the increase in the number of people in family households overall, which is up 6% since 2000.
"This is just a major trend," says Stephanie Coontz, a family history professor at Evergreen State College in Olympia, Wash., who directs research at the Council on Contemporary Families.
Coontz suspects that a host of factors — among them higher housing costs and the nation's struggling economy — are prompting families to combine expenses. Also, intergenerational households are more common among the country's growing number of immigrants, she says.

But Coontz also notes that parent-child relationships are closer now than in the past. The downside, she says, is the emergence of the so-called helicopter parent who may hover too closely, but the upside is a tighter bond between generations and, in many cases, closer friendships between grown children and their parents. "I don't know how many of my students have told me, 'This may sound weird, but I talk to my parents more than I talk to my friends.' "
The average size of both families and households grew from 2000 to 2007, the data show, after shrinking slightly in the 1990s. The average family in 2007 had 3.2 people, up from 3.14 in 2000. The average household, which includes those in which someone lives alone, had 2.61 people in 2007, up from 2.59 in 2000.

Among other factors changing households:

• A 40% increase in the number of other live-in relatives, including the head of household's mother-in-law or father-in-law, to 6.8 million.
• A 24% increase in the number of live-in brothers and sisters, to 3.5 million in 2007.
• An 8% increase in non-relatives, including unmarried partners and roommates, to 6.2 million.
• Alaska had the highest percentage change in parents living with householders, up 167%. South Dakota had the lowest, still up 7%.

The Census Bureau's annual American Community Survey collects data from about 3 million U.S. households each year.

Juanita is still in pain after May hip surgery

Juanita, my Mom's dearest friend, who broke her hip en route to Mom's funeral in May, still suffers with pain. She called me yesterday to vent. She feels she is not making progress.

I fell so bad for her. Mom would never have wanted this to happen to her dear, loving friend. Juanita is 94 and was in perfect health and completely independent. Now, she is dependent and in pain.

She looked so frail when I visited her during my Chicago trip last month.

I will continue pray for her recovery.

Hurricane Creates Flooding in Chicago

Our basement flooded this week because of rain remnants from the destructive hurricane Ike. Fortunately, Mildred moved items onto the sofa and tables and solicited help from her husband to come over to mop.

Many roads are still flooded and neighborhoods are trapped by flooding waters.

Dad's Frustration With Social Security

During my last visit, my Dad kept asking why he does not receive Mom's Social Security check. He kept insisting she had paid into the fund for years so he should be able to receive it.

It was so awkward for me to have to respond that they can no longer send it to her because they have no where to send it.

If one retired spouse passes away, the surviving spouse receives the check that was the higher of the two. Dad worked longer so he will continue to receive his check, (with an increase of about $50 per month).

Hospice Nurse Called From Dad's Bedside

I was really worried tonight when the hospice nurse called me. She said Dad has excruciating abdominal pain. She wants to send him to their hospital facility but he refuses to go. She brought morphine (liquid form) for him. She will instruct Vivian on how to administer the pain meds.

We agreed Dad is stubborn.

I called Vivian later. She will monitor him closely and call me if there are changes.

We agreed Dad will likely sleep through the night.