This Mother's Day, Holllywood actress Brandee Evans is among a reported 48 million Americans acting as caregivers for an aging loved-one.
Experts say the U.S. Population is getting older overall. That means Americans are living longer and the job of caring for them is getting increasingly harder. With this in mind, Evans is offering solutions for families facing this all important issue — here at home.
Brandee Evans maybe best known for her starring role on Starz television network's "P-valley."
Now in production for it's long awaited third season, the drama is set in "Chucalissa, Mississippi." This fictional town Is loosely based on a section of Evans' hometown of Memphis, Tennessee.
Still, Evans, like her character Mercedes Woodbine, faces challenges in life. With determination, she finds a way through them.
During a recent visit to her hometown of Memphis to talk to this group of University of Memphis co-eds, Evens discussed her most demanding leading role yet — caregiver for her mother who has multiple sclerosis.
Did you ever think that you be in this place where you'd giving care to a parent who once gave care to you?
"Not at all," she said. "Not all did I think this, but I also knew that you only get one momma."
In 2016, Evans' mother Dianna Harrington was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis.
Now confined to a wheel chair, mother Harrington is frequently featured in videos her daughter shares of their trials and victories through social media to help viewers.
"[I] want people to jump ahead of all that right now," Evans said. "Start thinking about the future."
Before her 2016 diagnosis, Evans knew her mother as a vibrant woman who family and friends knew as "Lady Di."
"Lady Di — that was her nickname," Evans said. "I was like, 'Baby, you was in these streets growing up' [laughs)] 'Lady Di,' ok!"
Far less from the glamorous work of reading scripts and preparing for acting roles, Evans spends much of her day feeding and dressing her mother as well as managing her medical affairs.
What is Evans' cost for care when away shooting a film (or an appearance at a university)?
"Don't talk about it," Evans said. "$109,000 — I calculated last night to be exact. $109, 500 is $300 a day to have my mother at home when I leave that house."
AARP estimates Americans caring for family members pay on average around $7,000 out of pocket annually.
The executive director of the Aging Commission of the Mid-South Kim Daugherty said caring for a loved one who is aging and ailing is a daunting undertaking.
"This is absolutely a full-time job," Daugherty said. "You know, we talk to families all the time who have four or five family members involved in giving care who are working with their church to get some help and are tapping into every resource they can to get that help."
Some states offer stipends to caregivers, but legislation like that is yet to introduced in the Tennessee State Legislature.
Now, nearly a decade following a life changing diagnosis as well as thousands of dollars in medicals costs, Evans admits there's been a heartbreaking shift in her relationship with her mother.
She hopes her star-powered advocacy work helps keep young ladies like these from the same experience.
"Mine is bitter sweet now because all the moments I wanted with momma I get them now, but she can't even remember them," Evans said.