Sandwich Generation Essay

The term “Sandwich Generation” is what some are using to describe those people who, for one reason or another, are ‘sandwiched’ between the need to provide care not only for their own children but also for at least one aging parent. There has been much debate on what classifies someone as being included in such group, and little emphasis on the hardships that accompany the transition between child and caregiver. This paper will discuss the classification that make up the “sandwich generation’ and some of the financial and emotional stress that comes with this new responsibility. First, how do we know who fits into this group? Merriam-Webster dictionary defines “sandwich generation’ as being “a generation of people who are caring for their

Inside the home you have the children- who if are grown- are also under pressure to get an education, job, home of their own, and maybe even pressures to settle down and have a family. This can be added to if the child is still living at home, this can add the social stigma of not being able to make it on their own or provide form themselves. If there are parents living in the home it can be stressful on them having to make the transition from mother or father to being treated as one of the children. They can lose their sense of independence and feel as if they are a burden to the family. As you continue to look in the home you may see a strain on the marriage of the care takers. Questions such as “Why can we take in your mother but mine is getting put in a nursing home” or “your children get to see your parents every day, why can we not go visit mine once in a while?” It’s easy to see how tensions can rise and this situation can become a stressor within the marriage. Another possible side effect of becoming a multi-generation care giver is that it will take up much of your time- especially if there are extenuating circumstances such as an illness. Having to take people back and forth between doctors can use up personal day in a hurry, leaving families to decide if giving up a job is in their best interest. Since the start of the recession, the number of working women 45 to 54 has dropped more than 3.5 percent, a rough one million women, several of them leaving to care for a parent (Searcey, 2014). This, once again, can cause strain on a marriage when you lose one income and the other spouse becomes the primary bread