Nothing helps more than receptive family members who share the burden.  My brother essentially disappeared when our mother became ill and suffered a long decline with dementia.  I was left as the primary caregiver while he went vacationing and cruising.  He made my distress and sadness much worse than I could handle.  The anticipatory loss ravaged me for years and even now, a year after our mother died, I will never forgive him and we are forever estranged.