It's natural to ignore the consequences of spending large sums of money with all the emotional and medical aspects that arise while caring for elderly parents. Too often adult children dig themselves into debt or forgo their own savings and retirement accounts from the financial strain of taking care of their parents.

In the United States around 30 percent of adult children provide finances to their parents' care, paying on average $2,400 a year, according to the Pew Research Center. However, your golden years don't have to be leveraged or sacrificed while caring for your elderly parents by blowing your own nest egg. Dedicating a few hours to surfing the Web will aid you in finding a variety of programs and services that can help you lessen the financial burden, while simultaneously improving the quality of your parents' lives. The following Web sites provide a solid start:

*Alzheimer's Foundation of America: The AFA provides a respite fund designed to assist caregiving families. The program provides a $500.00 per family grant which will provide 40-50 hours per year. Note that there is often a wait-list.

* Medical alert bracelets can ease the strain of a caregivers' job by providing a backup plan when you aren't with your parent. For $24.95 the device will notify your designated doctor, family and friends in an emergency.

* Eldercare.gov: Eldercare Locator is a public service that aids in finding local agencies in the U.S. that can help caregivers and the elderly access home and community-based services. All you have to do is enter your ZIP code to explore anything from assisted living facilities to caregiver support services.

* BenefitsCheckUp.org: BenefitsCheckUp provides information for older people regarding their eligibility for benefits from existing federal, state and local programs. Benefits range from heating and energy assistance to income supplements. There are numerous programs available to seniors, if only they knew how to apply for them.

* GovBenefits.gov : hosts information on government programs your parents can utilize.