WASHINGTON — If you find yourself stressed because you’re taking care of children and aging parents, you’re not alone.
According to the Pew Research Center, nearly 47 percent of adults in their 40s and 50s are taking care of both parents and children.
If you’re part of the “Sandwich Generation,” one of the many decisions you may be weighing is whether to seek additional assistance.
Lin White with LM Care Providers, a home health care service, says there are certain signs to look for.
“If you think your loved one is sometimes lonely … if they are forgetting things to do, if they can’t drive anymore — things they can’t do for themselves or that they should be able to do for themselves … that’s when you should look into help,” says White.
Getting additional help for a loved one in need may be a difficult subject for the caretaker and the aging parent or relative. White says there are ways to have that discussion.
“Just let them know that the help that they’re getting is not necessarily to take away their independence,” White says. “It’s really for somebody to make sure that you’re OK on a daily basis and to have someone to call on if a relative is not around.”
