Ever feel pulled in two directions at once? Your child needs to be picked up at school while, at the same time, your aging parent has an important doctor’s appointment that you really should attend. This predicament is all too common for the Sandwich Generation.
If this scenario sounds familiar, you may be a part of the generation responsible for being the primary caregiver to both your own children and aging parents. According to the Pew Research Center, more than half (54%) Americans in their 40s are ‘sandwiched’ between caring for an aging parent and raising their own children. The stressful feeling of needing to care for two generations at the opposite ends of the spectrum can be overwhelming and a real juggling act.
What is the Sandwich Generation?
While the terminology may be fairly new, the concept of being sandwiched between caring for two generations is not. In general, the Sandwich Generation refers to middle-aged adults (often in their 40s and 50s) who are caring for both elderly parents and their own children.
Pew Research Center describes these adults as usually having a living parent, age 65 or older, and are either raising a child under age 18 or supporting a grown child. Not only do many provide care and financial support to their parents and their children, but nearly four in ten (38%) say both their grown children and their parents rely on them for emotional support.
The Role of Senior Helpers
Adults in this generation often feel stretched to the breaking point and need a helping hand from family, friends, or professional caregivers such as Senior Helpers, either on a regular basis for planned care or during emergencies when care is needed short-term.
Caring for two different generations can be especially challenging when one or both are going through a period of poor health. It’s not feasible to do it all when work responsibilities and family obligations are also added to the mix.
One of the ways that Senior Helpers can support and assist families in this situation is with our Respite Care Services. It really is ok to take a much-needed break on a regular basis or every once and a while to run errands, get work done, spend time with family or friends, relax with a hobby, make doctor appointments, or any of the million other things on your potentially long list of things-to-do.
Respite Care enables your elderly loved one to comfortably remain in their own home while providing you with a much-needed interval of rest or relief. Even a short-term break can relieve stress, restore energy, and promote balance in your life. If you are not taking care of yourself, there’s no way you can care for others well.
Some of our Respite Care Services include:
- Assistance with activities of daily living - eating, walking, and dressing
- Performing personal care routines such as toileting and bathing
- Meal preparation
- Performing light housekeeping
- Laundry
- Providing companionship
Our Companion Care Services may also help when your senior loved one would like another adult around to help with hobbies, errands, groceries, transportation, light housekeeping, and meal prep. Of course, we also provide great conversation and companionship for seniors who enjoy the company of others.
If you need a break or just a companion for your older family member, we’d be happy to coordinate a free in-home consultation to get to know your loved one and his or her needs, help address any questions you may have, and provide recommendations for care.