Daughter from California syndrome(first documented in 1991)is a phrase wherein a person feels guilty from being absent from the life and care of an elderly patient and thus try to reassert their role as an involved caregiver where they come off as  angry, articulate and informed.
The phrase was first documented by David Molloy and other gerontologists in a 1991 case report published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, titled "Decision Making in the Incompetent Elderly: 'The Daughter from California Syndrome'". Medical professionals say that because the "daughter from California" has been absent from the life and care of the elderly patient, they are frequently surprised by the scale of the patient's deterioration, and may have unrealistic expectations about what is medically feasible. They may feel guilty about having been absent, and may therefore feel motivated to reassert their role as an involved caregiver. The "daughter from California" is often described as angry, articulate and informed. 
