Priyanka Tiwari
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The way people define relationships nowadays has shifted and so has the definition of families living in India. Alongside this transformation comes a new phrase – ‘Sandwich Generation’. This phrase describes those individuals who are stuck in the middle of two responsibilities. These individuals take care of both their children and elderly parents.
Those in their 30s, 40s or even 50s who have children and aged parents are a part of the high level ‘Sandwich Generation’. The old parents’ health issues alongside the child’s developmental education and post-education aspirations tends to stir emotional, financial, and time being related issues. In India, stars like Kareena Kapoor Khan and Abhishek Bachchan also belong to this generation, since they are simultaneously taking care of their children and parents.
There are different types of sandwich generation problems that I providers want to highlight
* High expenses: Pay for the child’s education as well as in the elderly parent’s medical conditions and expenses.
* Mental burden: Parenting children while managing the parents’s old age deteriorating situations ultimately leads to mental health imbalance.
* Lacking time: In terms of career achievement while attending to family responsibilities, it can prove challenging for working individuals to juggle both.
How to mitigate the issues of the sandwich generation?
* Build a budget: Problems in the future can be mitigated by planning long-term like retirement, insurance, and savings.
* Be open to receiving assistance: Receive assistance from other family members, and, if required, professional caregivers. Using the assistance of house helpers or caregivers can help ease both mental and physical stress, if necessary.
* Self-care: Practicing yoga and meditation or simply engaging in a beloved pastime acts as a stress reducer and cultivating happiness. Caring for yourself is as important as tending to your loved ones.
The transformation of Indian families over the decades
The sandwich generation has transformed the conventional layout of families in Indian society. Responsibilities used to be distributed and shared in joint families, however now in contemporary nuclear families, this burden is more with the parents. Nevertheless, this burden can be made lighter with effective planning and teamwork.
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