What are the benefits and drawbacks of middle aged people taking responsibility for the welfare of their elderly parents? In this article, the author draws on Australian Institute of Family Studies survey data and case studies to explore the experiences of 50-70 year older elder carers. This article has three main aims: to discuss the general profile of people caring for elderly parents and care recipients; to present some real life caring situations illustrating the complexities of care arrangements; and to draw some conclusions about the consequences of these complexities for middle aged carers and for the provision of support services for the aged.