Women aged 45-65 are increasingly caught in the “sandwich generation,” juggling care for elderly parents and dependent children. Statistics reveal one in four women in this age group grapples with this dual responsibility, leading to severe physical and mental exhaustion for 68% of them.
The stark reality is that women bear the primary burden of elder care, providing three times more unpaid caregiving than men. This significantly impacts their careers, forcing 42% to reduce working hours or quit their jobs entirely. The immense economic value of this unpaid care work reaches up to 15% of GDP in some nations.
Amidst these alarming trends, the story of Sara, a 52-year-old teacher, exemplifies the struggle. Her day begins at 5 AM, relentlessly balancing care for her 82-year-old mother with Alzheimer’s, supporting her 16-year-old son, and grading papers late into the night. This constant pressure creates severe psychological strain, which geriatric psychologists warn can lead to chronic depression, anxiety, and illness.
Current support systems are critically inadequate. Only 12 countries globally offer paid family leave for elder care, and standard health insurance rarely covers long-term care costs. Furthermore, adult daycare centers meet a mere 5% of the existing demand. These gaps force 58% of sandwich generation women to dip into retirement savings to fund parental care.
Solutions & Call to Action:
Escaping this crisis demands urgent, comprehensive action. Key solutions include:
- Establishing comprehensive support centers for family caregivers.
- Enacting paid family leave laws specifically for elder care.
- Developing affordable long-term care insurance options.
- Creating local community support networks.
Without serious attention to this growing caregiver crisis, societies face severe public health consequences and significant long-term economic repercussions. Proactive policy is essential to support the vital, often invisible, work of the sandwich generation.
ABC News