I think that being a sandwich generator is the most challenging job for Americans. Sandwich generationers act as caregivers for elderly relatives and children. Sandwich generationers deal with parents who are unable to work and needing to support their families financially.
The Elderly become more able to do things on their own, such as bathing or eating. As they age, they may need help with tasks like toileting and eating. Sandwich Generationers help their parents with these chores, but sometimes it becomes too much. 68% provide financial support for family caregivers, 41% adjust their work hours and 13% leave their jobs to take care of the family’s needs (Eisenberg). As the elderly live longer, so does their care. 31.2 percent of college graduates now live at home. Younger generations are finding it harder to get work because they don’t have the required experience or higher education. Students should consider moving back to their parents as a way to save money and to have the ability to rebuild emergency funds. The Sandwich generation, also known as their parents, will be responsible for paying phone bills, utility bills, and food supply. Many adult children still depend on their parents for financial support.
This does not include children under 18 years old and parents over 35 years of age. Elizabeth Gregory wrote in “Families As They Are” that only 1 in 7 children will come from women over 35 (Risman & Rutter). This can be even worse for your pockets if you are a sandwich generationer and you start a family slightly later than what is normal. It is expensive to pay for proper nutrition and formula if a parent has not been enrolled in Women, Infant, Children (WIC). This is especially true if the parents don’t choose to breastfeed, or can’t apply for government food assistance. School-aged children may need assistance with homework, after-school activities, or other extracurricular activities. Shoes, clothing, and school supplies are all important. These items are essential for school-age children.
Sandwich generation members feel they have some expectation. Future sandwich generations will see an increase in the cost of caring for old and younger people. It is expensive to do a lot of things, such as travel, entertainment and media. Families will be thrown apart by these finances. You can’t make it work by cutting back on one side and putting it in the other.
Eisenberg: Sixty-two percent of caregivers believe they have to choose between caring for loved ones or providing care. Only 57% say they have to choose between caring for a spouse/partner and providing care. Maintaining friendships and intimate relationships with sandwich generationers can be a challenge. They are often second-hand to their parents and children. They might feel threatened by someone forming new friendships with the outsiders who care for them. Caregivers may be asked how much time is sufficient, how many elderly people are included, what time is appropriate for each, and how to discern fire from emotion.
For those who are feeling squeezed, policies should include paid family leaves, child care benefits and financial planning assistance. This will help to ensure that the individual doesn’t get ripped off while still trying their best. This allows middle-aged individuals to do their job, complete tasks, or run errands. Payed leave is available if the call is not an option. The employer can take into account the individual’s situation and determine how long they should be off work. Employers can also offer child-care benefits, which could help relieve some of the financial burden. Employers could offer child care benefits to help sandwiched workers.
People are living longer, taking longer to become parents, and the children who stay at home longer create a pressure cooker. With the increasing age of our population, this is becoming a greater need. It seems like the federal, regional, and local governments have made it harder for the elderly to live in better housing and food. Anyone who has to manage the multiple generations of caregiving for elderly parents or children must have a plan. Stick with it. Any plan that is to be followed must be consistent. People who are tucked between their parents and families need to realize that they are still human and have to take care of themselves. These people must be open to accepting these changes in order to make the transition into a new normal easier and less complicated.
