“I wish I knew no one was going to help me.”

Natasha Lazartes39, therapist, BrooklynCredit... Michelle V. Agins/The New York Times

“It's been a nightmare. They are so desperate to hire workers that they will take anyone. »

I am 39 years old. I had to take care of my father, who died of cancer in 2019; my mother, who died in November 2021 from cancer; and since her passing, I have inherited my grandmother's care. She is 97 years old, has moderate dementia and is considered at high risk for being home alone. We had been applying for Medicaid long-term care to receive in-home assistance since early November 2021. She finally got in-home assistance in January 2022, but it was a nightmare. They are so desperate to hire workers that they will take anyone. She was left without help for many random days with a late phone call or text from help needing a day off and agencies not being able to find a replacement in time. I changed agencies several times. My husband has been a great support to me throughout this adventure. We rely on the security cameras we have installed in our apartment to see how she is doing while we are at work. How does it work on a daily basis? It’s emotionally and physically exhausting. The health care system for seniors is neglected, broken and inadequate to meet all demands, even basic needs.

Robert Ingenito44, Public Information Officer, Mamaroneck, N.Y.

ImageRobert Ingenito takes care of his father, Jerry.Credit...Maansi Srivastava/The New York Times

My father, who is now 93 years old, had me late in life...