Caring for Two Generations? A New AARP Michigan Guide Can Help

For millions of Americans, caregiving means being pulled in two directions at once: raising children while also caring for a parent, spouse or other adult loved one. A new AARP Michigan resource guide is designed to help these “sandwich generation” caregivers find support for every layer of their caregiving journey.

New research from AARP and the National Alliance for Caregiving estimates that nearly 17 million Americans, or 29% of all caregivers of adults, are sandwich generation caregivers, simultaneously raising a child while caring for an adult with a disability or complex medical condition. The average sandwich generation caregiver is just 42 years old.

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The demands can be significant. Sandwich generation caregivers provide an average of 27 hours of care each week, and 48% are now in high-intensity caregiving situations, up from 36% a decade ago. More than six in 10 perform medical or nursing tasks at home, such as injections or wound care.

Many are balancing those responsibilities with a career, too. Nearly 70% are employed while caregiving, and 67% report experiencing some form of work disruption because of their caregiving responsibilities. Twenty-two percent report high financial strain.

That’s why AARP Michigan created a new Resource Guide for Sandwich Generation Caregivers, which brings useful information together in one place.

The guide brings together trusted AARP resources and Michigan-specific programs for people balancing the needs of children and aging or disabled loved ones. From finding child care or services for older adults to respite and support for caregivers themselves, the guide offers a simple starting point for families looking for help.

The message is simple: You don’t have to navigate caregiving alone. Download the guide today.

For more information and tools for family caregivers, visit the AARP Michigan caregiving webpage.

Are you a family caregiver and would like to share your story with AARP Michigan? Reach out to Sadie Shattuck, AARP Michigan Associate State Director of Communications, at sshattuck@aarp.org.