Are you part of the “sandwich generation?” According to Mental Health America, approximately 23% of American adults fall into this category. These are people, usually young to middle-aged adults, who simultaneously care for minor children at home, as well as their aging parents.
As a caregiver to aging parents and young children, you may devote over 20 hours a week to caregiving tasks, and some of these may even include medical tasks that are difficult to manage with little to no training or ongoing support. While you may continue to perform these tasks out of love and commitment to both your children and your parents, continual caregiving can take a heavy toll on your emotional and mental health.
Many members of the sandwich generation report that they have little to no personal time and experience discord with other members of their family. Difficult emotions may also arise, such as anxiety, dread, sadness, and fear, and many days, you may feel like a failure, trying to manage the needs of multiple people at the same time.
Burnout is incredibly common among caregivers, so try to prioritize time to yourself. You should also identify friends, family members, or even members of your local community who can step in and help and acknowledge all that you do on a daily basis for those you love, even if it doesn’t seem like enough.
Another thing that can help is telehealth mental health counseling with an experienced professional. I can help you learn how to manage your emotions and practice compassion for yourself and others during our telehealth mental health counseling sessions, helping to ease the burden you feel as a caregiver. Schedule your consultation with me today.