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https://www.cnn.com/2026/08/27/health/dolly-parton-husband-caregiving-wellness
The loss of Dolly Parton is very sad, she was a generous person, but also longed for privacy in areas of her life, as was her right. Perhaps she didn’t trust caregivers or the medical community to honor confidentiality in either her husband’s or her care. We won’t know. She’s far from alone in neglecting her own care, it happens with so many. A dear friend of mine is doing it now. She spent years annoyed with her mother for refusing to see any doctor or have any medical tests. Now she’s caregiving many hours a week for her elderly parents, providing their meals, taking them to all appointments, etc. She has had no routine medical tests, the very same thing she used to be annoyed about with her mother, who is now frail and has dementia. She laughs it off. I fear the price she might pay, but know she’s far from alone in choosing this. Maybe others will learn from Dolly, she had a lot to teach
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I'm sorry but Dolly Parton had more money than God. There's 0 economic reason why she couldn't have hired people to help care for her husband while she went to regular medical check-ups and such -- unlike the average in-home unpaid family caregiver. I can't imagine what the real reason was because she obviously didn't have a fear of cosmetic surgery and seemed to have had plenty of time for that. She had plenty of time to run Dollywood, and make personal apprearances. She had every advantage to take good care of herself during her "caregiving" and made a personal choice to not do it. Such a shame. She died too young. But, she's NOT a caregiving martyr and shouldn't be held up as one.
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