Answer: False - The life span is undirectional. Older adults are adults and should be treated as such even if the elder is incapacitated by illness.
Additionally, myth asserts the reversal of roles between parent and child. Thus, the adult child caring for the non-well parent may say they have taken on the role of the parent and the elder has become the child. However, caring for a non-well parent is not the equivalent to role reversal. In fact, true role reversal is viewed as dysfunctional.