The Sandwich Generation Support Center

Your parents are aging and you have children who need financial assistance. This scenario is becoming more and more common. Having to take care of different generations in your family is never easy, but you are not alone. There are many other men and women out there having to deal with this situation as well.

TSC has searched high and low to help find great resources for you to help manage your "sandwich generation" situation: articles, blogs, forums and tools that can help you make better decisions and take action to overcome the range of financial, emotional and other challenges that you face.

As you’ll see, we always welcome your ideas and suggestions to make this "Sandwich Generation" Caregiver Guide even more helpful to survivors like you.  

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The Big Picture

What is the Sandwich Generation? It is a demanding time when a couple is still dealing with parenting issues, thinking about their own retirement and yet facing the issues of coping with aging parents. Some estimates show that nearly two-thirds of Baby Boomers will be taking care of an elderly parent in the next 10 years. That could lead to major stress in your finances, emotions, and relationships.

• About.com: Sandwich Generation
• 360 Degrees of Financial Literacy: Sandwich Generation

Your "Sandwich Generation" Experience

If it isn’t hard enough that you have to witness your parents getting older, now you have to help manage their health and financial issues. First, you should take care of your own financial situation, and learn how to juggle family responsibilities. Your day to day life involves more balancing across the board, more so now than ever and feeling stretched to the max on both ends is normal.

• Money Magazine: The Sandwich Generation - How To Survive The Midlife Tug-of-War
• 360 Degrees of Financial Literacy: Saving For Retirement and a Child's Education at the Same Time
• 360 Degrees of Financial Literacy: Juggling Financial Responsibilities
  

Your World

Part of the challenge you are dealing with -- besides being stuck in the middle of your kids and parents -- is having to talk to both of them about financial and family responsibilities.

• 360 Degrees of Financial Literacy: Caring for Your Aging Parents
• Family Education.com: Talking About Money With Your College-Bound Child

Sandwich Care Giving Myths

• Caregiving has a negative effect on health.
• Adult children do not care for older parents at home.
• Adult daughters are the most common caregivers for aging adults.

Information and Recommended Links for Survivors:

Survivors say these are the best guides -- check them out to explore your options:

• Caregiver.com provides some great questions to ask yourself and solutions on how to manage your caregiving situation.
• National Clearinghouse for Long-Term Care Information This website from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is a great resource for you to use when planning future long-term care needs.
• Family Caregiving 101 Pragmatic advice on what to expect during the various stages of caregiving.
• SavingForCollege.com Comprehensive information about setting aside money for education, and rankings of all the state-sponsored 529 college savings plans

Creating a Support Circle

• Set up your TSC Survivor Profile
• Join support groups of other survivors or set up your own
• Interact and provide updates on your profile or our forums.

Resources to Find Support Organizations or Professionals

Whether your aging elders plan to live with you or stay in their own home, there are organizations that can help you better manage their care.

USA.gov: Caregiver Resources

The Emotional Roller Coaster

Caregiving can be extremely taxing emotionally, especially when you have both parents and children that depend on you. There are resources that can help you, both online and in your community.

• Caregiver.com: Regional Support Groups
• Family Caregiving 101: Forums

Books Our Survivors Recommend

• Baby Boomers: Sandwiched Between Retirement & Caregiving by Sandra W. Haymon
• Looking Through The Peephole: The Sandwich Generation: Adult Children Caring for Aging Parents by Patricia Lynn Kitzman
• The Sandwich Generation: Caught Between Growing Children and Aging Parents by H. Michael Zal

Money & Work Matters

Being a caregiver can be a drain on your finances and career, but there is support and resources for you, too.

Money

• WISER Women:  The "Sandwich" Dilemma
  
• Financial Planning: Care for the Caregivers
  

As caregiving is a constant process that you must deal with as both your parents and children age, there are online resources and local programs that can help you, the caregiver.

• HelpStartsHere.org: Sandwich Generation Women
• The New York Times: The New Old Age

The National Family Caregiver Support Program is a Federal program that helps people serving as unpaid caregivers for people age 60 and older. The goal is to relieve the emotional, physical and financial hardships of providing continual care.

National Family Caregiver Support Program