<p>I’d probably care for my sister if she needed it, and I would for my parents but it’s unlikely that they will need it, given their current assets and how long my dad expects himself and my mom to live.</p>
<p>Though if I was to care for anyone, I would probably ask that they live with me so I don’t have to spend as much on rent. </p>
<p>I don’t think either will have these huge nursing home bills. I know my mom certainly wouldn’t ever live in one, and I don’t think my dad is partial to the idea ever but he’s still the type who might if he was no longer able to care for himself at all. </p>
<p>Anyway, on the subject, this seems like a completely ridiculous law if the aim is freedom, but pretty sensible if the aim is orderliness as is likely here. I don’t know enough about German culture to have any idea if that’s a factor in the difference in attitude between Americans and Germans, but it would be an explanation. Germany however is strongly oriented towards orderliness which you can see in every organizational difference between USA and Germany, so it seems to be something I would expect from Germany. It helps reduce burden on taxpayers (instead shifts it to offspring), and still provides care for the elderly. If this is the way things are done in Germany, from a legal standpoint I don’t see why it should matter whether or not the man was estranged from his father or now. </p>