The sandwich generation has nothing to do with the deli or lunch but refers to the generation of parents who are caught between raising young children and providing support to their parents. Sandwiched between the two generations, many parents struggle to accomplish everything necessary for a happy extended family. Juggling geriatric needs with pre-school musts can create a hectic lifestyle but survival is possible.

 Find Helping Hands

 First, take a long deep breath and assess your situation. If you are an only child, the burden of responsibility falls on you alone but there are still other options. For those with siblings, if they live in the area, calling on a brother or sister for help can give respite. If other family members are too far distant or you’re an only child, consider professional help.

Hire a housekeeper or someone to come in to clean for your parents a few times a week. Don’t try to maintain two households in sparkling clean perfection. Hire some help.

 If parents can’t be left alone due to medical conditions, check into adult day care. More and more areas are offering adult day care for elderly family members. Typical activities include watching television, taking walks on facility property, learning crafts, shooting pool, computer skill training, and more. Whether you need to leave a parent alone for a few hours or to go to a job, adult day care may provide relief.

Even if you’re not currently employed, consider sending toddlers to daycare or a pre-school for the same reasons. Day care doesn’t have to be a full-time option but it might prove to be a better environment on the day that you must take a parent for a routine medical visit or procedure.

 Don’t try to cook like Julia Child. Rely on frozen lasagnas and ready to eat meals. Consider take-out from the supermarket. An increasing number of supermarkets are often a variety of foods available for carryout. Some even have a daily menu. Provide the best nutritious meals possible but don’t slave over two hot stoves.

Be All That You - And They - Can Be

Make time for yourself. Whether it’s a bubble bath, a trip to the library on Tuesday afternoon, an aerobics class, or weekend trip, take time off to preserve your own health and sanity. 

 Make being a caregiver or chauffeur as pleasant as possible. Reconnect with parents and learn new amusements. Learn to play cards or create scrapbooks together. A game of checkers or chess can while away the hours. Develop an interest in a particular television program or rent movies that all ages can enjoy.

Introduce your parents, if health permits, to the local senior citizens center. Encourage them to network with other seniors and to be active in center activities. Many senior centers even serve hot meals and in some areas, transportation is available. Meals-on-wheels allows hot meals to be delivered for lunch on weekdays, another option worth checking out.

Get out of the house. Take those senior relatives to see a movie, to go shopping, or to the park. An afternoon spent beneath a quiet tree watching the grandkids play can be an emotional boost. Stay advised of when some retail chains host a special senior shopping event during holiday seasons. Some stores open early just for senior shoppers and offer additional discounts.

 Read aloud. Reading aloud a favorite novel or even the newspaper can help bridge the generation gap. It can also keep senior parents abreast of current events. Learn a foreign language, start collecting stamps or old coins.

Preserve the past. Sort and label those stacks of old photographs. Dig out the heirloom photographs and if names of those in the picture aren’t listed, ask your parents and write the names on the back. Write down family stories for future generations or even tape record a grandparent telling stories of the past.

There are many ways to make life in the sandwich generation a little more enjoyable and easier for all involved. Most of all stay grounded with patience and love.