Welcome to National Family Caregiver Month! The month is dedicated to highlighting the amazing work caregivers do every day for their elderly loved ones. This month, we will focus on the sandwich generation. You will read a weekly series on essential topics related to caregiver awareness. It’s a well-kept secret, rarely discussed, because until a family situation arises, the dynamics can remain hidden behind everyday routines.
Have You Heard About The Sandwich Generation?
The Sandwich Generation is a term used to describe adult children who care for younger children( under 18) and older parents. Typically, this group has children at home, sometimes children away at college, but they also actively care for aging parents. Adults in this sandwich generation may be responsible for many concerns of aging parents while balancing careers, and often struggling to find time for managing their own homes and personal relationships.
What Are The Challenges Of The Sandwich Generation?
This week, we discuss the importance of knowing the health conditions of your aging loved ones. We will share some helpful information to increase your awareness and start the conversation about the many possibilities that can arise as loved one’s age. If one is unprepared, multitasking these responsibilities with children in the home and an aging loved one living elsewhere can be overwhelming. Once upon a time, empty nesting and middle age seemed parallel. Since children are born to middle-aged families, parents of these families are much older and have developed health problems; they may require caregiver management. Let’s start here.
Mindfulness of Health Problems
Health problems are the first reality that creates the need for the sandwich generation to support aging parents. Knowing the health conditions your aging loved one faces is a priority. Further, learning all healthcare providers’ names and phone numbers is also essential. Be aware of the medications taken by aging parents, including name and dosing, and ensure timely medication refills. It is equally important to understand how they manage their medical conditions independently. Becoming our parents’ parent can be unsettling, at least it was for me. After the shock of becoming my mother’s mother, I got to work. I am asking you to get to work.
As Your Proactive Caregiver Advocate, please empathize with your aging loved ones and stress the importance of keeping them safe as they age. Health problems with aging loved ones can create many challenging realities for the sandwich generation. Knowing this piece of the equation will help you stay aware and in the know. Next week, we will discuss the emotional toll the sandwich generation may face. Be safe! Be well!
Dr. Cynthia J. Hickman is a retired registered nurse and case manager who serves as the CEO of Your Proactive Caregiver Advocate. She’s excited to share her latest book, The Essential Caregiver Training Course for Corporations and Community. Her previous works, From the Lens of Daughter, Nurse, and Caregiver: A Journey of Duty and Honor, and The Black Book of Important Information for Caregivers, reflect her experiences and insights gained during her heartfelt caregiving journey.