I'm 62 and raising 4 adopted grandchildren. I won't be able to retire, but I'm finally able to breathe a little.

• Madalyn Conchola, 62, adopted her four granddaughters, facing financial and emotional challenges.
• Conchola, an IT analyst, manages work and family life while supporting her granddaughters’ needs.
• Despite financial strain, Conchola ensures her granddaughters’ stability, focusing on mental health.

   and older Americans caring for younger loved ones. <strong>Share your story by filling out this </strong><a target="_blank" rel=" nofollow" href="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc3B3DqRcKUfGoxcUcf_oEPQOwyzJf0I-jL15r4T_XT_ZOs1Q/viewform?usp=preview"><strong>quick form</strong></a><strong>.</strong></p>

<figure><img src="https://i.insider.com/6a2338172e5a80cfe0504151?format=jpeg" /></figure>Now, my daughter will say, "Mom, I won't say they wouldn't have turned out well with me, but I know they wouldn't have turned out as well as they have with you. It's like I've carried the torch for so long, and then I passed the baton to you, and you'll get them the rest of the way."

Still, as time goes on, my age and my ability to work and earn money loom over me. I’m looking for other ways to try to generate an income so that when I’m at the point where I can’t work, I can find help through my art and writing. I’m making sure my credit card debt is extremely low.

I’m preparing to gather my thoughts into a memoir about my life. For a long time, I wasn’t ready to tell my story, but I think it’s part of my healing. There’s nothing that I’m ashamed of.