Our Sandwich Generation is turning into a multiple layer sandwich! The Sandwich Generation refers to a group of individuals who are responsible for taking care of the generation or generations below them, as well as the generations above them. With the aging Canadian population and the Baby Boomers getting into their 70s, this group is growing. I like to describe a second type of sandwich. The grandparent sandwich. With people living longer and longer, we are seeing more grandparents who are taking care of their grandkids as well as elderly parents. This is a new type of sandwich generation but is equally as important to talk about. Grandparents volunteering to help with childcare for their grandchildren has huge economic considerations. There is a LOT of money saved from grandparents willing to step in. If you think about some of the daycare costs nowadays... that is a huge help! The Problem sometimes with the Sandwich Generation is BURNOUT. These individuals who are in the sandwich generation become the caregivers to their young children or grandchildren as well as their elderly parents. This means that they are being pulled in multiple directions. It can be a lot of work and lead to stress and exhaustion. Caregiver burnout can be a big problem. It can lead to frustration, exhaustion and resentment to members of the family. It can affect relationships. So here are the three steps I think you need to ask yourself if you are in this situation. Be Honest With Yourself Ask for help and reprieve when you need it Don't forget about self-care. Knowing and being aware of when you're starting to feel stressed and exhausted is so important. Taking care of yourself is not selfish. It means that you have the energy and resources to take care of other people! We hope that you enjoy the podcast and here are the links to the sandwich generation articles we talk about during the podcast! ----------- *Show notes can be found at http://StaveOff.ca/podcast *Check out other podcasts in the Senior Rehab Project family at http://www.SeniorRehabProject.com