“The Sandwich Generation” is what they’re being called. These are adults who have an older loved one that needs care, and also has young children in the house still. And while this is a normal stage of life, it is certainly a trying one.
When it comes to the health of caregivers–both professional and informal family supports–there’s not a lot of research out there. We know a lot about caregiver health, burnout, and the like through anecdotal evidence. But anecdotal evidence can only go so far. When it comes to policy change and legislative support, more formalized, controlled data is necessary. That’s why a new study from Michigan Medicine at the University of Michigan is so important. It took a look at the sandwich generation, and how caring for both an older loved one can impact health, both mental and financial.
For starters, sandwich generation caregivers were twice as likely to experience financial difficulty than those just caring for an aging parent. They were 12 percent more likely to be suffering emotionally from the stress and grind of being pulled in two different directions than those that just care for an older loved one, too.
When it came to the positives of being a caregiver, the sandwich generation caregivers were on equal footing as those just providing senior care.
In other words, the rewards and benefits were equal for caregivers, but those that were caring for multiple generations saw more of a negative impact on their own wellbeing.
The team published their findings in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. This much needed research will hopefully pave the way for better caregiver support moving forward.
Caring for another person is difficult–and it can be quite expensive, unfortunately. There’s a reason why a lot of people leave their jobs after having kids. For a lot of people, it makes more financial sense to leave the workforce and care for a child than it does to pay for daycare. Oftentimes, people will bring that same mindset into the world of senior care, and for many it works. But the dynamics of senior care are different. The expenses are different and the stage in life that some are at by this point in life is different. The same line of thinking can be a good starting place, but the world of senior care is a very different place.
First of all, the needs that an older loved one tends to face are different. Some children face medical issues as they grow, but most seniors will face medical issues as they get older. Unfortunately, the eyes of a professional are often a lot more necessary when it comes to working with the elderly than this is when working with children.
Being a caregiver is hard, but there’s support out there for you. If you’d like to talk more about how professional care can ease some of that burden, we’re here for you. Give us a call today to learn how care might benefit you and your family.
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