Being a caregiver for a parent, spouse, or adult child is often described as an act of love—and it is. But what is rarely spoken out loud are the difficult feelings that exist right alongside that love: guilt and resentment.

Caring for a loved one through illness, especially in their final stages, can be one of the most intense experiences of your life. And when that role suddenly ends with their death, caregivers are left not only to grieve the loss, but to make sense of complex, often conflicting emotions—chief among them, guilt and relief.

Watching a parent’s memory fade can feel like losing them one story at a time. As a psychotherapist who works with seniors and families experiencing the impact of dementia, I walk alongside adult children facing this heartbreaking reality, offering clinical insight, emotional steadiness, and practical strategies from the first unsettling signs through late‑stage care.

For many caregivers, the emotional toll of tending to someone else’s needs can be just as demanding as the physical work. Let’s explore why that guilt shows up, why it's important to challenge it, and how caregivers can begin to take meaningful, restorative breaks—without apology.