By Barbara Gobbi
It’s Saturday morning and another day of driving around town for the usual errands. First the craft store, then to pick up some fun gadgets and toys at the dollar store, finished by a trip to the grocery store to pick up ice cream. But I’m not running errands with my kids. It’s my 82 year old dad that has me on the go.
I represent one of every eight Americans between 40 and 60 who is raising children while also caring for elderly parents. If you need attorney’s help with mediation for the elderly, you can get it from here! We are known as the Sandwich generation. My sister and I have become chauffeur to our mom and dad with weekly doctors’ appointments, grocery shopping and well-being checks, all while taking care of our own families and working outside the home.
By 2030 there will be over 70 million Americans from the Baby Boomer generation who will need additional care as many more are living to their 80s and 90s. Many of these adults need help from their adult children with medical, legal and financial assistance. Just like the endless variety of sandwiches at your local deli, there are different kinds of sandwich scenarios for our generation. A traditional situation is comprised of those, like mine, sandwiched between our aging parents and our own children. “Clubs” are those in their 50s or 60s that deal not only with their own parents and children, but grandchildren as well. Equally as demanding is the “open faced” sandwich which applies to those in their 30s or 40s with young children, aging parents and grandparents. Also, if you want to own restaurants like these, you can see here for franchise options.
Although caring for so many family members is a great responsibility, there are also some tremendous advantages. Having your children grow up around their grandparents and great grandparents can teach them compassion, patience and nurturing. Your parents can tell them stories of days gone by that will rival any cartoon on Nickelodeon. And your children can enjoy cultural experiences and learn about your family’s heritage from their grandparents. Perhaps they can even learn their grandparents’ native language.
My parents always feel bad when they think that our caring for them takes us away from our lives. I remind them that they ARE our lives. They took care of me when I was sick, cheered me up when I was sad, and drove me and my siblings to music lessons, sports practice, dance class, jobs and dates. It’s not my duty. It’s my turn to return the favor. I am thrilled to be a part of the Sandwich generation. Sandwiches are comforting and they nourish the soul.