For those of us in the Baby Boom generation The Sandwich Generation has become all too real. We are still raising children. Many of us have hormonal teenagers that are providing us with all the gray hair we never wanted and still many of us are enjoying the fast paced world of raising small children.
Take your busy day to day life as a parent and combine that with the now ever increasing needs of your own parents. Not only do your children, and all of their activities and running your household, need you but so do your parents. If this sounds like you then you are one of The Sandwich Generation.
The term “Sandwich Generation” is used to describe people who are simultaneously squeezed between caring for their aging parents and caring and supporting their dependent children at the same time.
We must talk about you, the caregiver. Stress management and mental wellness are critical in helping you to deal with all of the demands that are placed upon you while you try to be the best parent you can be to your children and care for your aging parents as best you can. If you are working full time this becomes even more necessary and challenging.
Follow some simple steps to avoid becoming depressed, anxious and exhausted:
– Stay connected with family and friends. Be sure to have fun, laugh and focus on things other than your responsibilities and do not feel guilty about it because keeping an emotional balance will help you to be a better caregiver.
– Always take care of yourself. There is less chance of burnout or depression if you stay healthy. Eat well, stay rested and exercise no matter what.
– Ensure that you have a support network. You need friends, family and others that can step in and help. Be willing to accept help. It’s important to recognize that no one can do everything and sometimes things will not be accomplished perfectly.
– Be honest and straightforward with your employer about your needs. Perhaps there is room for flexibility in your job schedule.
– Utilize local resources. There are often resources in your community that are dedicated to assisting with the elderly and their caregivers.
– Accept that you will have days when you cannot escape feeling tired or angry. These feelings are normal. Be sure to talk about them with someone you trust.
Be prepared to mourn the loss of the relationship, as you have always known it, with your parents. In most cases your parents have always been there to support you and now the dynamics have changed and this can be hard to face. Accept that your children do not always understand the demands that are placed on you and they are simply being children with their own wants and needs.
MOST IMPORTANT: Be a caregiver to you – always be kind to yourself and if you are having a hard time doing this enlist the help of a good friend who understands and will pour you a cup of tea and lend you an ear and a helping hand.
