Caring For Elderly Parents While A Religious Sister/brother

[Kylie Spinelli]

I also posted this in Vocation Station, not sure which forum it belongs, but here is my question:


Hi everyone! So I was just wondering what would happen in a situation such as this:

You're an only child (or all of your siblings joined religious life too... but let's keep it simple and say you're an only child) and you have joined the religious life. Your parents are getting older (we all are) and they are starting to need medical help, perhaps they're going into a nursing home or assisted living facility. I know how expensive it is to care for elderly people whose health is failing. Paying for meds, tests, copays, and the nursing home/assisted living bills. My mother is spending a lot of time and money taking care of my gram. I am just wondering, since religious take a vow of poverty, how they do this for their parents, especially in the case of an only child. And what happens if they are cloistered? Just curious

Any ideas? Thanks for reading and any answers you can give! :D

[CatherineM]

As to money, I'm not sure. Some orders might have funds for that, most won't. I have known several nuns and priests who have taken leaves of absences to care for elderly relatives. I knew one whose order had a nursing home, and a member's mom was allowed to stay there for free.