Parents.

Having been out to supper and a glass of wine later the evening took on a colourful hue and caused me to reflect :-

 
Old people can be very embarrassing to young people.

Oldies have attitude, old people have foibles, characteristics that make their offspring's toes curl.
Why is it that those close to us, in terms of family can upset our offspring and make them wish we, the older person wouldn't do whatever we are doing and yet, people who are also close, their behaviour is acceptable as a 'character characteristic', to smile about and find amusing.
It's not a serious misdemeanour, just a bit of an innocent giggle and yet when a parent is involved the embarrassment surges to the surface in a way that any pal doing the same thing we wouldn't raise an eyebrow or a comment. Why is there such an emotional difference.
It's as if our own idiosyncratic demons are too firmly entrenched in our family members and whilst our friends are, if needs must, throw away elements in our lives we can't do that with family.
Family genetics reflect our most hidden characteristics and maybe it's this embarrassing resemblance or, perhaps a feeling that own character is being challenged by the behaviour of the of the oldie. Perhaps it's the pedestal the younger person idealistically and subliminally places the member of family on. Or the image of someone, if out of character, how it plays into ones sense of how they should behave.
Behaviour is both individualistic and part of the judgemental baggage we carry around. We care for the person who is acting out of character and the image they portray is important to us. Perhaps  we need to reinforce our self esteem by having rock solid foundations best formed by at least one parent, when that parent doesn't come up to the mark then we worry.
Parents are a worry anyway, its a role reversal since just as most parents worry about their children, children worry about their parents and this is especially so as parents grow frail.
The child is unable to halt the inevitability of old age and feels impotent, they are frightened by consequences of seeing someone they love, who has been a life long support, grow weak and need their support !!
The responsibility is heavy, especially as people live much longer and grow degenerately weaker these days. 

Being there is seldom enough when all you remember was a much better balance in your relationship but since we have no hand in the way life, at its edges pans out the best advice is to stand back a little and support the process, not try to stop it since that is impossible !