The Sandwich Generation in Australia - Caring for Kids, Your Parents and Yourself
Who is the Sandwich Generation?
Who is the Sandwich Generation?If you are an adult and have children whom you are responsible for, and also assist in the care of an elderly person; then you are likely part of the sandwich generation. The Sandwich Generation has arisen as a community issue largely because of demographic change in Australia. Women are having their children later in life and elderly people are living longer, and so there is a higher chance that new parents today will face a period in which both their parents and children will need support.
Have you ever had to rush off from work to help you parents deal with a medical emergency? Perhaps you are picking up their shopping on your way home from picking the kids up from school. Maybe you even had a parent move in with you so that you can help them at home. If so then you are definitely in the Sandwich Generation.
The Challenges of the Sandwich Generation
These days it may not be easy to strike a balance between the requirements of work, and those of your children and parents. Often these days helping your parents can be more difficult as you may live far away from them or you may not have any siblings nearby to assist. Perhaps you have a parent who has dementia or who has suffered a stroke and so needs considerable support to stay at home. This may be a difficult situation to manage if they do not wish to move into a residential care facility. You may not have the time available to really look at all the options available to them.
There are many people in the Sandwich Generation who have a hard time putting themselves first and end up running themselves ragged as they care for everyone else. These caring people are at a high risk of stress related illness and burnout.
Don't let it happen to you!
It is so important to remember to care for yourself as well. You aren't going to be able to help anyone if you have exhausted yourself. To avoid this there are some helpful tips to keep in mind:
Be aware of your body and Listen to what it says - If you are starting to feel tired all the time, or are often getting sick; you may need to take some time out for yourself.
Ask for help when you need it. Sometimes a little help can go along way. Look to Family, Friends,Neighbors, Community Services and Private services for help.
Help for the Sandwich Generation
In Australia we are lucky to have numerous government funded programs to assist elderly people to remain living in their own homes. There is also recognition of the caring role undertaken by many adult children and even non-income tested carer's payments as well as the carer's pension.Getting a bit of help with the lawn mowing, shopping or cleaning can really help take the pressure off! It's also possible to arrange a care manager to oversee the bigger picture' things for your parents; like ensuring they arrange and can get to their medical appointments. Having this assistance can be a big help if you live far away. There are also numerous private home care providers such as Lifestyle Home Services who are able to provide quality home care in metropolitan Sydney and many regional areas of NSW.
Remember that all reputable home care providers have police checks and screening completed for all staff so you can rest assured that your family members will be safe and secure with the help you arrange.
New to the Sandwich Generation?
If you are new to the Sandwich Generation you may not be familiar with all the ins and outs' of the community aged care system in Australia. Perhaps your parents are just starting to show some signs of needing a bit of extra help but are managing well. Don't wait to figure out the options until its too late; Talk to your parents now about what they want, what you can provide and what you will need to outsource. Having this discussion now will ensure that you have a plan you can all agree on and give you a chance to research all of your options.
The Sandwich Generation in Australia - Caring for Kids, Your Parents and Yourself
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