If you are part of the ‘sandwich generation’ you may be providing care for multiple generations including parents, children, grandchildren. You are also still likely working and managing your own day-to-day household. This can be a stressful and challenging lifestyle, so here are 4 tips for balancing your life while living in the sandwich generation.
- Get Help.
No matter how many hours are in the day, you should try to arrange for help with some of the more routine tasks – like cleaning, shopping, and cooking. Whether you hire the help or accept help from friends, neighbors or your local church, take some of these tasks off your to-do list so that you can focus on the higher priority items. If you’re taking care of grandchildren, you may need to arrange for a playdate or sitter now and then. Care.com is a great resource for finding short-term resources.
- Get Organized.
When you’re being pulled in a lot of directions, it’s more important than ever to get organized. A professional organizer can be a tremendous help for creating ways to make things more convenient and making sure everything has a place. This will help you keep track of things, and plan for each day according to the tasks at hand. You can also use Google Drive to store important documents, a log of conversations, referral forms, etc. that can be shared with other family members. Keeping track of medications for aging parents can be especially tricky, so you may want to consider a product like TabSafe, which is an in-home medication dispensing system that helps improve compliance and alerts caregivers before a dose time is missed.
- Practice Self-Care.
You are a crucial piece of the sandwich generation puzzle. If you get sick, you won’t be able to take care of others. You must take care of yourself physically and mentally. Set aside time each day just for you. Meditation is a great way to retreat, maximize your down time, and renew your energy. Use an app like Omvana on your Smartphone to help you meditate quickly and effectively. Take time out for a mani/pedi. Make time to take care of you, so you can continue to take care of others.
- Before It’s Time to Make a Move.
At some point, many sandwiched caregivers may determine that it’s time to move the parent(s) into an assisted living facility. Try to evaluate your options before the decision becomes crucial. You can narrow down your list of choices online and then schedule tours of the facility. A Senior Move Manager may be able to help too!
If you are caring for an aging parent and ready to think about the options, contact Baywoods of Annapolis today! Baywoods is a full-service continuing care retirement community (CCRC) which provides residents access to the waterfront and all that Annapolis, Maryland has to offer.
