The Sandwich Generation
Recently, we’ve heard a lot of new terms that our parents never did. The “baby boom” generation, the “silver tsunami”, the “sandwich generation”. I especially like the last one.
All too often as we boomers launch our children into college or work, and as we start dealing with our own aging issues, we also have to deal with the increasingly difficult needs of our parents. 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 between seven to 10 million adults care for their aging parents from a long distance.
We are challenged by questions like: When will mom or dad need care? What care is the best? Can our parents stay at home or should they move to assisted living? How is this going to be paid for? When do they need someone else to step in and make decisions on finances and health care? How in the world can we convince them to stop driving?
Family dynamics change as mom or dad need more care and attention. This can be particularly true in blended families. More and more people over 55 are single or have been married more than once, and the family consists of his, hers and ours.
Other times family members live far away and can’t look in on parents. In these cases, do we have someone close by who can check in on our parents and let us know if they are struggling?
So, how do we start? What do we need? What do they need?
One place to start is with a good plan. An elder law attorney can help us to figure out what legal documents need to be in place before they are necessary — like Powers of Attorney. We can identify future financial needs and learn about the programs that may be available to assist. We can prepare a step-by-step blueprint for taking on the challenge of preparing for long term care needs. In other words, we take a large and scary job and turn it into a manageable “to do” list.
Don’t panic. There are answers and there are people willing to help.
The information contained in this article is intended for general informational purposes and should not be considered legal advice. Legal advice can only be given with a full understanding of a particular client’s facts and circumstances and an examination of all relevant personal documents already in existence; if you have specific legal questions you should consult a licensed attorney in your area.
