A Story from the Sandwich Generation: Caring for Kids and Parents

As a caregiver of my parents, brother on disability, and one child in college and one child and a grandchild living with me, my mother declared I was a Club Sandwich. And I was working full time in addition to the caregiving. I definitely have PCSD. Post Caregiver Stress Disorder, or Post Club Sandwich Disorder. And my brother on disability has just been diagnosed with prostate cancer so I will likely be doing a new round of more intense caregiving of him and he lives on the opposite side of the state from me.

The Sandwich Generation will likely have to work to a much later age than their parents did and will have less retirement security. There won't be much retirement for the Sandwich Generation, for a variety of reasons. Good Luck to all.

It's incredibly challenging balancing kids and parents. Each needs so much time, love, and energy, there is often nothing left for ourselves. The best advice I can give for others like me is to reach out for help. Thankfully my husband found an excellent agency that uses ClearCare homecare solutions. It's an easy to use software system that lets me keep an eye on my mom's daily care. She can remain in her own home, and I can log into ClearCare's website anytime to make sure she's been given her meals and medication on time. What a lifesaver this has been.