How do you like your sandwich? Club, open faced, two pieces of bread with one slice of meat in between? If you can imagine a sandwich that consists of one person in the middle and two families acting as the slices of bread, you may have some idea what it’s like to be a part of the ever-growing sandwich generation. More seniors than ever before have been living well into their Nineties, which is causing a slight problem for the children of those seniors that have their own families.

So, what does the term “sandwich generation” mean, exactly? Well, the “usual” sandwiched person consists of one person that has a family of their own, but this person is also expected to take care of their aging parents (in short, they are stuck between their parents and their own children). Those that have it just a bit tougher can be thought of as a more complex type of sandwich. These people are usually in their Sixties, they have aging parents to tend to, adult children of their own, and grandchildren of their own.  Those that are involved in the complex sandwich scenario often forget about their own lives, who they are, or what it is that they like to do – after all, they barely have time to breathe.

Obviously, there is a huge problem with any of the above situations.
It is nearly impossible for an adult to care for their aging parents along with their own families. Yet, there are many within the nation that are playing all parts to all people in their own family unit. These people are often under immense amounts of stress caused by the constant tugging of all those family members. For those that can empathize with this situation, you should know that there is a fine line between helping out and becoming engulfed in your aging parents’ lives. Search for help on the internet, take time to be yourself, and know when to say no to numerous situations. You only have one life, make sure you spend it as you see fit.