Caregivers in Context: The Silent Weight of Care in Netflix’s Sirens 

Caregivers in Context: The Silent Weight of Care in Netflix’s Sirens 

Star-Studded Cast Brings Visibility to Family Caregiving, PTSD, and Alzheimer’s Disease

By Chance Browning and Jodi Koehn-Pike
Caregiver Action Network staff

Netflix’s critically acclaimed drama Sirens is a haunting, emotionally layered series that explores trauma, caregiving, memory loss, and the enduring bonds—and burdens—of family. The series features an all-star cast, including Meghann Fahy (Drop, The White Lotus), Bill Camp (The Queen’s Gambit, Joker), Milly Alcock (House of the Dragon, Upright), Julianne Moore (The Hours, Far From Heaven), and Kevin Bacon (Mystic River, Footloose).

At the emotional center of Sirens is Devon—portrayed with gut-wrenching honesty by Meghann Fahy—a woman in her late twenties whose adult life has been shaped by a web of caregiving responsibilities: for her father Bruce (Bill Camp), who is rapidly declining from Alzheimer’s and for her younger sister Simone (Milly Alcock), who struggles with PTSD from childhood trauma. The stellar supporting performances by Julianne Moore and Kevin Bacon as extended family and Simone’s employers underscore the complex emotional terrain that caregivers often navigate: strained relationships, intergenerational trauma, and uneven burdens of care.

As part of our Caregivers in Context blog series, Caregiver Action Network (CAN) is proud to highlight how Sirens sheds light on caregiving experiences that are all too real—and all too often invisible.

The Unseen Toll: Devon’s Journey as a Multigenerational Caregiver

Devon’s story is emblematic of the multigenerational caregiver, someone who has provided care for more than one family member at different stages in life. She dropped out of college to care for Simone and later found herself in a full-time caregiving role for her father, Bruce. Her dreams, relationships, and personal goals are put on indefinite hold.

Her experience aligns with the findings of the RAND Corporation, which estimates that 105 million Americans—nearly one-third of the U.S. population—are providing unpaid care to someone in need. That’s nearly double the number reported in earlier studies and includes not just eldercare, but support for siblings, spouses, and adult children living with disability or trauma.

Alzheimer’s and the Disintegration of Identity

Bill Camp’s performance as Bruce, a once-sharp man now unraveling under the weight of Alzheimer’s disease, is especially poignant. Alzheimer’s doesn’t just steal memories, it erodes the very personality of a loved one, creating emotional whiplash for caregivers who must constantly recalibrate how they relate to someone who is both there and not there.

Today, more than 11 million Americans provide unpaid care for someone living with Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia (Alzheimer’s Association, 2024 Facts & Figures). The total annual value of this care exceeds $339 billion.

CAN’s Alzheimer’s and Dementia Care Resources provide actionable tools for caregivers, including:

  • Communication tips: Speak calmly, avoid correcting, and give extra time for responses
  • Routine management: Use visual cues and consistent schedules
  • Emotional resilience: Remember that while memory fades, feelings often remain

Caregiving Through Conflict: When the Past Isn’t Past

What Sirens portrays so powerfully—thanks in part to the layered performances from Julianne Moore and Kevin Bacon—is the reality that caregiving doesn’t always happen in the context of a healthy or loving family dynamic. Devon’s relationship with her father and extended family is complicated by emotional distance, past neglect, and unresolved trauma.

According to the Family Caregiver Alliance, caregivers in families with a history of abuse, addiction, or mental illness report significantly higher rates of depression, stress, and caregiver burnout.

CAN’s Family Caregiver Toolbox helps caregivers navigate these situations with tools for:

  • Setting healthy emotional boundaries
  • Processing guilt or resentment
  • Seeking therapy or trauma-informed support
  • Managing family tension and caregiving expectations

PTSD and the Emotional Labor of Sibling Care

Milly Alcock delivers a standout performance as Simone, whose PTSD—rooted in childhood trauma—manifests in isolation, mood swings, and deep mistrust. Devon, despite her own mounting pressures, continues to provide emotional support to Simone, becoming her sister’s caregiver in every sense of the word.

PTSD impacts approximately 13 million Americans each year, and many cases—especially those tied to childhood trauma—go untreated or under-supported (National Center for PTSD).

CAN’s PTSD and Mental Health Toolkits are designed to support caregivers like Devon with:

  • Mental health education for family caregivers
  • Communication strategies during PTSD episodes
  • Tips for emotional regulation and caregiver burnout
  • Resources for crisis intervention

For families also managing addiction or mental illness alongside trauma, the FAM Network is a powerful hub of tools and community.

Caregiver Identity Loss: When Your Life Becomes the Background

Perhaps the most devastating truth in Sirens is what never gets said: Devon is disappearing into her caregiving roles. Her education, relationships, career, and personal joy are repeatedly postponed “until things settle.” But they never do.

According to the AARP Caregiving Out-of-Pocket Costs Study:

  • 61% of caregivers also work outside the home
  • 28% have stopped saving for their own future due to caregiving
  • Caregivers spend an average of $7,200 per year of their own money on caregiving expenses

CAN offers a range of resources to help caregivers protect their own health and goals, including:

  • Free, one-on-one support from our Caregiver Help Desk 
  • Access to peer support and respite resources
  • Guidance on returning to education or work after caregiving ends
  • Emotional wellness tools to help reclaim personal identity

Explore all of CAN’s caregiver support tools.

Final Thoughts: Sirens as an Emotional Reckoning  — Spoiler Alert

Sirens is more than just a TV drama—it’s a window into the emotional, logistical, and spiritual complexity of caregiving. With unforgettable performances by Meghann Fahy, Bruce Ward, Milly Alcock, Julianne Moore, and Kevin Bacon, the series captures the nuanced realities faced by the 105 million caregivers in America today. In the end, Devon commits herself to caring for her dad. And, like in real life sometimes, Simone decides to stay in her new, sheltered life instead of returning home with Devon to help her dad.

If Devon’s story feels familiar to you, you are not alone. Caregiver Action Network is here to walk beside you with compassion, clarity, and tools to help you survive—and thrive—on your caregiving journey.

Resources Mentioned in This Blog:

For more caregiver stories, tools, and real-life reflections, follow CAN and subscribe to our newsletter. The Caregivers in Context series brings you deeper into the pop culture moments that reflect the caregiving experience.