“The Sandwich Generation” is a term created in 1981 by Dorothy Miller. It referred to a segment of the Baby Boomer Generation whose lives were complicated by the need to meet multiple responsibilities. More young women had the role of caregiver to aging parents, while caring for their own children at the same time.
The Sandwich Generation Today
There are some factors that have changed since 1981, and some factors that have remained the same. 
One change has been in family composition. In the past, the majority of families were headed by married couples. When a husband worked, the wife had free time to care for an elderly parent. Even when there were children in the household, women were generally at home during the day.
As the number of households headed by single women have increased, more women are caring for both parents and children while maintaining a career. This leaves very little time for relaxation, social lives, and women’s other needs. Even women who are relatively young experience stress, exhaustion, and a toll on their health.
More married women today also need to work. With the cost of living increasing, fewer married women have the option of staying at home with their children, and providing full-time care to aging parents at home. In addition to the multiple roles of parent to their own children and adult child to their aging mother or father, financial necessity keeps women in the workforce.
Another difference is the general health and lifestyle of today’s elderly population. Older people can look forward to longer, healthier lifespans than older generations in the past. They are less likely to need skilled nursing facilities with 24-hour care and supervision. However, this does not mean all elderly persons are healthy enough to live in their own homes. Their health, safety, and well-being depend on care from their adult-aged daughters or sons.
Balancing Roles And Responsibilities
As there are only 24 hours in a day, it is not surprising that so many members of the Sandwich Generation suffer from stress, exhaustion, and divided loyalties. It is simply impossible for a person to provide full-time care to an elderly parent, full-time care to one’s children, and hold a full-time job. Individuals who try to do this can expect physical, mental, and emotional collapse.
Some families try to juggle their roles and responsibilities. This may include placing a child in daycare when the parents would prefer to keep their child at home, husbands and wives who work different shifts so there is always one spouse on duty at home, and Baby Boomers who give up their personal lives entirely because all they can manage is caregiving and work.
None of these arrangements are truly effective. Members of the Sandwich Generation often feel guilt because they cannot fulfill every role to every person in their lives, and they cannot do everything without assistance.
Home Care Is A Solution
A home care company can provide excellent home care aides to care for elderly persons in their own homes. However, home care is equally appropriate for elderly persons who live with their adult-aged children. There are many different ways families can benefits.
One example is the primary caregiver will have the opportunity for one-on-one time with each member of her family. When she has regular assistance from a home care aide, she will not feel that she is neglecting her own children or her spouse. The entire family will be healthier and happier when she has time to devote to each individual.
A second example is the caregiver’s ability to do her job. When she can work without worrying about her parent, she can build her career, participate in job-related activities, and not have to settle for part-time work when the family needs full-time income.
A third example is a caregiver’s personal life. She will be able to socialize with friends and enjoy recreational activities without feeling that she is failing her parent. Caregivers who have time for a personal life are happier, healthier, and have more to offer to their families.
The Sandwich Generation has many responsibilities that few people had in the past. From different family structures and financial struggles to more opportunities, caregivers can feel torn and uncertain. Whether a caregiver is married or single, she must achieve balance in her own life if she is to be healthy and happy.
The decision to delegate some elder care responsibilities to a home care aide is a wise decision. It is useful to each member of the family as individuals, and to the family unit as a whole. The caregiver will find it easier to balance her roles and responsibilities when she does not attempt to do it alone. Home care can make life better for the Sandwich Generation and their families.