Naked & Afraid: The Caregiving Jungle

Last night, my husband was watching Naked and Afraid, the show where two strangers are dropped into the wilderness with no clothes and just two tools. They battle the elements, wild animals, and hunger, all while totally exposed.

As I watched, I couldn’t help but see myself.

When I first realized my mom was the victim of financial elder abuse, I was thrown into my own jungle, completely unprepared. Unlike those on the television show, I had no tools, no map. Just gut instinct and a desperate desire to protect her. But unlike the show, I didn’t know who the predators were who feasted on my mom’s hard-earned resources.

My mom, who is fiercely independent, was in denial. She couldn’t see the crime for what it was. And at the same time, she was unknowingly hiding the early signs of Alzheimer’s, masking them so well that her doctors, bankers, that even her colleagues at a neurological center missed the red flags. They were all in denial.

I was trying to navigate a landscape that made no sense, emotionally raw, uncertain who to trust, and afraid of every next step. I felt stripped bare.

Now, with more clarity and my mom no longer able to mask her challenges, I more fully understand what I was up against. But in those early days, I was just another adult child in the wilderness, naked and afraid.

To anyone else in that jungle: You’re not alone. We may be vulnerable, but we’re also resilient. And there are tools, you just have to find the right ones for your terrain.


To anyone else in that jungle: You’re not alone. We may be vulnerable, but we’re also resilient. And there are tools. You just have to find the right ones for your terrain. Welcome to the Squeeze!

Looking for more support while navigating the squeeze? Grab a copy of our book Thriving in Chaos: Navigating the Challenges of Aging Parents on Amazon, and stay connected with us at PeopleInTheSqueeze.com. You can find us on TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube @peopleinthesqueeze. Tune into the People in the Squeeze podcast wherever you get your podcasts.

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Wealth Transfer or Family Fire?

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Why “Caregiver” Makes Me Cringe