I know a little bit about the Sandwich Generation.
I was 30 years younger than my mom, and, at the same time that she was becoming aged, my own two children were teenagers. It seemed like everyone needed help — or tending — and I knew that I had to find a way to be there for my mom.
So it goes. If you ever have found yourself in that situation, you know that you are caught between two devotions just like a big ole piece of bologna is caught between two delicious pieces of bread with no way out. Not enough time to do right by anyone — or it seems — and, to boot, you have a job. A responsible and serious job that you need to pay the bills and provide what you want for your kids, but you still want to care for mom, who cared for you so long ago.
The Sandwich Generation, which is more a feeling than a single generation identity, affects more women than men. This is not surprising because women have proven themselves to be such grand caretakers. We are naturals, and we are not always very forgiving of those who do things differently than we do. Especially when it comes to caring for loved our ones.
This is an important subject because the challenges are a function of time — time that we often feel we do not have. And now that the elderly are living longer, many young lawyers can expect to care for their elders a lot longer. Welcome to the Sandwich Generation.
As pointed out to me recently, we talk a lot today about Millennials and Baby Boomers. But when do we start paying attention to the needs of the Sandwich Generation?
Here’s a link to a slide show you need to see. Watch it and pass it on to your colleagues, your partners, and your employers. At some time or another, you all will need help figuring out the challenges of the Sandwich Generation.
And, in case you are wondering, law school did not cover this!
