July Is National Sandwich Generation Month: How to Juggle Aging Parents and Growing Children Without "Dropping" Either
Des Moines, IA (PRWEB) July 03, 2013 -- Ready or not, July is National Sandwich Generation Month, the month dedicated to those who care for both aging parents and their own children, all at the same time.
Call it the sandwich generation, or call it an "octopus-like life," but those who find themselves sandwiched, are getting tugged every which way.
Being sandwiched between two serious responsibilities, responding to the needs of parents who may be widowed or facing challenging health issues, and wanting to be there for children who are still in school, often forces the person in the middle to cut corners with their own jobs, maintaining their own household, keeping track of their own personal life, and getting enough rest. A nightmare? Can be.
Mom’s Meals, a company that delivers fresh meals to a person’s door, offers tips for feeling less squeezed, this month and every month.
Plan ahead
A huge part of being the one sandwiched is making sure parents have what they need as they age, including the right place to live, nutritious food to eat, and ways to get to where they need to go. Doing this well requires planning ahead, knowing when to ask for help, and knowing when to set boundaries. To do this well, planning is required. Here’s how…
1. Don’t wait; start now to update to wills, trusts, power of attorney, healthcare directives, and the like. Make sure these documents are up to date and reflect current wishes and long-term care needs.
2. Plan for the financial side. It may not be pretty, but long-term care costs money, and planning ahead is key. Medicare does not always cover the costs associated with care, and Medicaid is only an option for those without assets, and who are close to poverty. If you do not fit in this category, plan in advance, otherwise, you may find that the cost of daily care is too great a burden.
3. Make it legal. Make sure you have the power to access medical records, manage finances, and more. Most important, be sure to do it before parents lose the mental capacity to sign legal documents. This can save a lot of family heartache when the time comes.
Get organized
When juggling responsibilities of caring for your own family as well as an aging parent, organization is critical. Plan a routine, organize a list of phone numbers, medications, and contact information. All documents, including insurance cards, ID cards, prescription cards, medical history, wills, and health care directives should be organized and in a place easily accessible. Keeping a list of doctors, medications, doses, and related medical information is crucial.
Get help
Those in the sandwich generation will find that the best thing they can do to handle juggling care is to ask for help when it’s needed. The burden of caregiving is a large one, and without extra hands on deck, it can lead to stress, depression, and other mental and physical ailments for the caregiver. Learning to delegate and find help for some of the daily responsibilities can lighten the load, and help caregivers keep their sanity.
What kind of help? Every situation is different, however using senior services for financial and medical planning, sharing responsibilities with family members, hiring some outside care, having fresh, healthy, and senior approved meals delivered to the home, and more can greatly ease the burden, and reduce the stress associated with being part of the sandwich generation.
Mom’s Meals strives to be the leading expert and provider of senior and patient nutrition to help support health and recuperation and nourish independence at home for higher quality living. The company is dedicated to providing fresh-made, nutritious, home-delivered meals to customers nationwide and has specialized in senior and patient care for over 13 years. Mom’s Meals are available for customers on specific diets including heart-healthy meals that are both low sodium and low fat, diabetic-friendly meals with 60 carbs or less, renal meals, and vegetarian and gluten-free choices. Mom’s Meals prepares, packages, and delivers ready-to-heat and eat meals directly to a customer’s door anywhere in the United States.
Debbie Albert, Mom's Meals, http://www.momsmeals.com, 215-283-6006, [email protected]
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