"Taking care of aging parents is new stuff for whoever gets into it," says Ed Orsua, owner of the Northern Nevada franchise of Homewatch CareGivers, a firm that provides in-home services, from medication to personal care, transportation and companionship, and can provide respite for care-givers. That feeling of newness Orsua refers to - that feeling of stepping into uncharted territory - is the same for the Boomers as for previous generations.

Very few people are ever ready for the challenges, he adds. No matter what skills the adult children bring to the table - whether they run a corporation or bus tables - caring for parents is different. What's more, it's an emotional labyrinth fraught with dead-ends, turn-backs and frustrations for almost every family.

The majority of adult children stepping up to the plate to care for aging parents are women, another fact that's the same as it's always been. The irony for the Baby Boomer generation, says Orsua, is that many of these women are also managing full-time careers and running a household. They're stepping up on many levels.

What's Different

The sheer size of the Baby Boomer generation sets it apart from previous generations. "What's also different is its mobility," says Jane E. Fisher, Ph.D., a professor of clinical psychology at the University of Nevada, Reno. That mobility extends to both job and location.

This is a generation that has followed its dreams around the world and then chosen its favorite place to roost. Many have settled in Northern Nevada. Meanwhile, their parents, now hitting their 70s and 80s, are still back home.

But Boomers are a generation that breaks stereotypes. Though their ties to home are long-distance, this generation is there for its aging parents. A University of Southern California Leonard Davis School of Gerontology study released last year concluded that Baby Boomers "are even more committed to caring for aging parents than their own parents were."

The first decision many adult children of aging parents face is whether they should move mom and dad, or move themselves back home to be near enough to provide or monitor care. "It's a mixed bag," says Orsua. In the end, many choose to move parents closer to themselves.

And many care for their parents in their own homes. The American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) reports that the "typical" caregiver is a 46-year-old female with a full-time job; almost one-fifth of America's workers are informal caregivers, and a major portion of the care is for aging adults.