Burden of Sandwich Generation

The Sandwich Generation is a generation of people (usually in their 30s or 40s) who care for their aging parents while supporting their own children.

According to the Pew Research Center, just over one of every eight Americans aged 40 to 60 is both raising a child and caring for a parent, in addition to between seven and ten million adults caring for their aging parents from a long distance. US Census Bureau statistics indicate that the number of older Americans aged 65 or older will double by the year 2030, to over 70 million. In Australia, the term 'sandwich carer' relevant to the 2.6 million unpaid caregivers. A Carers UK report in 2012 said that approximately 2.4 million people are combining childcare with caring for older or disabled relatives.

Carol Abaya, nationally recognized as an expert on the sandwich generation, aging and elder/parent care issues categorized the different scenarios involved in being a part of the sandwich generation.

Merriam-Webster officially added the term to its dictionary in July, 2006.

The term "Sandwich Generation" was introduced to the social work and the gerontology communities, respectively, by Dorothy Miller and Elaine Brody in 1981. The construct refers originally to younger women in their thirties and forties who were taking care of their children, but also having to meet the needs of their parents, employers, friends, and others. Now that people are living longer and children are growing up and needing continued care, the "sandwiching" is felt by both men and women who are in their fifties and sixties. The demographic could continue to change, but the idea remains the same, with recent research focusing on the concept of the senior sandwich generation.

Due to poor economy, research shows that modern American society has had substantial increase of young post-college kids who return home to live with their parents or continue living with their parents throughout college. In a study done by the Pew Research Center in 2012, published in an article called “The Boomerang Generation,” about 29% of young adults ranging from the ages of 25–34 live with their parents. It is also becoming more acceptable; therefore, people who are in this situation are generally satisfied with their situation, which is likely to make it more common and less temporary. Now the parents of these young adults are being held responsible to care for their children longer than they expected, as well as now also being expected to assume the role of caretaker for their elderly parents. These sandwiched people become responsible for helping their loved ones with daily functioning, medical services and supervision, giving medications, and aiding in financial, legal, and emotional difficulties of their loved ones as well as themselves.

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