Wow Donal, have you added up the cost of petrol driving 18 hours a week? And health cost? I’d be exhausted by arriving after 3 hour drive, doing whatever sister deemed needing, and would fall asleep driving home! Leaving at say 6 o’clock, getting home at 9pm!! Three days a week!! Thats a 12 hour day working day 3 times a week!That’s a huge chunk of life, would dominate everything . That is defo not an option.
Possibly the distant sister could go down and stay overnight once a week, that way ensuring she doesn’t overtire herself....giving her sister 2 clear days a week “off”.
We have offspring to satisfy a primordial urge to procreate/ mother.... not to look after us in old age, that’s an unexpected bonus.
We love our parents,but life waits for no man, we should make arrangements ALL through our young lives for our dotage, be self sufficient, and just enjoy what pleasures we can from family, and any family members that WANT to give more time, fill yer boots, enjoy the ‘giving’ of yourself, time,money.
Those that can’t/ don’t want to, enjoy that too.
We need to remember though, “ What goes round, comes round”. Know it will repeat itself in your own life!! It always does!