Sandwich Generation

Being a parent or a caregiver is demanding enough, but when someone assumes both of these roles (sometimes in addition to working), the result can be daunting. It is vital that caregivers acknowledge their strengths and weaknesses and ask for help.

Members of the sandwich generation care for a combination of young kids, aging parents, adult children, grandparents and even grandchildren. Their situations may vary, but the one thing these caregivers have in common is their need for more support.

When I first heard the term “Sandwich Generation,” it didn’t occur to me that I was a member of this commendable group. I survived caring for multiple seniors, raising my children and working all at once.

Many people mistakenly compare child rearing to caring for an aging parent, but, as many caregivers know, these two tasks couldn’t be more different.