I’ve spent the past week helping my siblings care for my aging father.He is experiencing some serious problems with some type of seizures, extreme fatigue and weakness, low blood count, and other symptoms. The doctors say they are baffled and can’t find the cause of his problem.
My father is 85 years old this month.
That in itself accounts for some of his problems.
While helping care for my father who lives about 3 hours from my home, I am unable to help with my children and grandchildren. I miss them so much when I’m away and I know that there is so much I should be doing to help them.
This is truly the quintessence of the “sandwich generation.” Trying to help care for my aging father and trying to help my daughters and grandchildren at the same time is stressful to say the least. I want to be both places – at once!
But we know that life doesn’t work that way.
Today’s grandparents face many unusual dilemmas that prior generations did not experience. Baby boomers are learning to cope with life’s changes in a new and different way. Many are helping with their aging parents and caring for their own young children, or even raising grandchildren, at the same time too.
There is so much we can learn from each other. If you have experienced the challenges of caring for parents and children or grandchildren at the same time, then we want to hear from you. Tell us your story and maybe others can benefit from your experience.
Email your stories, tips, resources or ideas to [email protected] and put “Sandwiches” in the subject line. We’ll share many of your stories in the coming weeks.
As for me, this has been a particularly exhausting week. I think I’m going to bypass the sandwich altogether and just take a nap instead!
