Long-Term Care Planning and the Sandwich Generations

The term “sandwich generation” was originally coined in reference to members of the baby boom generation who found themselves taking care of their parents and their own children at the same time. Now members of Generation X and millennials are finding themselves sandwiched in the same way by dual caregiving obligations, and they are becoming caregivers of their parents at a younger age.

According to a study by the AARP, one in four family caregivers is part of the millennial generation (generally defined as being born between 1980 and 1996). And a study by Genworth found that the average age of caregivers in 2018 was 47, down from 53 in 2010.

Gretchen Alkema, vice president of policy and communications at the SCAN Foundation, told the New York Times that the rise in younger caregivers may be because baby boomers had kids later in life than their predecessors and many are divorced, so they do not have a spouse to provide care.

Younger caregivers have different challenges than older caregivers. They may have younger kids to manage and careers that are just beginning, rather than established. In addition, more men are now caregivers compared to previous generations. The AARP study found that millennials spend an average of 21 hours a week on caregiving, and one in four spend more than 20 hours per week. More than half (53 percent) also hold a full-time job in addition to their caregiving duties and 31 percent work part time.

Managing caregiving duties, family, and employment is stressful. Having plans in place can help alleviate some of the stress, and the earlier you plan ahead the better. A major part of planning ahead involves having all of the right legal documents in place, like a power of attorney and a health care proxy, and discussing with an elder law attorney how to best meet your individual long-term care goals.

What you need to do now to make sure your  goals are met will vary depending on your individual wishes and your own situation. An elder law attorney can also advise you on benefits that may be available to you, such as Medicare, Medicaid, or Veteran’s Administration benefits.

If you would like to speak with an experienced elder law attorney regarding your situation or have questions about something you have read, please do not hesitate to contact our office at 1 (800) 680-1717. We look forward to the opportunity to work with you.