The Sandwich Generation: Caring for Your Kids and Your Elderly Parents

It’s a phenomenon that sneaks up on most people. Your parents retiring and getting older. Meanwhile, your children are active in school and need you to drop them off at soccer practice and dance class and bassoon lessons. And then you realize you’re in the sandwich generation, caught between elderly parents who may need at-home care and children who need a lot of your attention. One study estimated that nearly half of those in their 40s and 50s are caring for an elderly parent and their children at the same time. The stress that caring for elderly parents and children at the same time can cause is obvious…balancing the needs of your elderly parents, your job, and your own family can lead to emotional and financial pressures. Until recently, many people hadn’t considered or planned for.

Elderly Parents Living at Home Fuel the Rise of the Sandwich Generation

The phenomenon certainly has exploded as people live longer. And more elderly people choose to live at home rather than in assisted living or a nursing home. As with many generational trends, the aging of the Baby Boomer generation seems to be a driving force here. Less than five percent of the population aged 65 and older lives in assisted living or a nursing home. Meaning the overwhelming majority live in their own homes. The desire to remain independent and the cost associated with assisted care or long term residential care; are the main reasons seniors choose to remain at home. The number of seniors will nearly double over the next 40 years; many people will pass through the sandwich generation in years to come.

Getting Help for Your Elderly Parents

Perhaps the easiest way to get help for elderly parents who live at home and need some in-home assistance; is by having a professional caregiver. An at-home caregiver can provide help with basic activities such as:

• Light Housekeeping and Laundry – Seniors living at home often need help with these physical tasks.
• Personal Care – Bathing and dressing can be difficult for elderly people who live alone.
• Meal Preparation and Planning – From grocery shopping to cooking and cleanup, having healthy meals available can be exhausting for older people.
• Companionship and Social Interaction – when people age in place, they can become lonely and isolated.

Having a professional at-home caregiver for your elderly parents will give you the peace of mind you need to focus on other obligations like work or your own children.

When the At-Home Caregiver is You

Sometimes, elderly people who live at home and need assistance with everyday activities can be resistant to the idea of having a stranger in their home providing care. And you can’t take time off of work as often as they need help. Thankfully, it may be possible for you to become a paid caregiver for your elderly parent. That way, you’ll be able to help out with your parents while still being able to take care of your children as well. The process is simple. Working with a home care agency, your parents will have an evaluation that outlines what kind of services are needed, and you’ll receive paid training to allow you to become a paid caregiver.

Home Care Powered by AUAF Has Help for the Sandwich Generation

Whether it’s finding a quality caregiver for your elderly parents or helping you become a caregiver yourself, Home Care Powered by AUAF has the resources you need to get your elderly relatives the home care assistance they need. Call us at 773-274-9262 or contact us to find out more about how Home Care Powered by AUAF can help.