Category Archives: aging parents
Remember those jokes you made in your youth about the old folks at Leisure Village? Now that you don’t need such a big house anymore and are beginning to plan for retirement, you may have thought about moving yourself. But where to go? Most Sandwiched Boomers choose to stay near family members but downsize in a way that fits in with their active lifestyle. A new trend is emerging for Baby Boomers who want to rekindle some of that communal spirit of the 60’s when they move. In 2007 alone, … Continue reading
Posted in aging parents, sandwich generation, well-being, your self
Tagged Baby Boomers, community, downsizing, housing, Sandwich Generation, Sandwiched Boomers
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A reader who is a grandmother posted her comments yesterday about filling some of her post-retirement hours by helping her work-from-home son care for his children. An increasing number of Boomer grandparents are assuming greater care-giving and financial responsibilities for their grandchildren. Research indicates that more than 2.9 million are raising 4.5 million grandchildren. This is particularly true in homes where there is a single parent, chronic illness, or both parents work. There has also been media attention lately highlighting just the opposite – that is, grandchildren caring for their … Continue reading
Are you a Sandwiched Boomer Mom whose husband or son is a stay at home Dad? There has been considerable growth in this phenomenon over the past few years. It seems that this generation of parents welcomes more flexibility in gender roles. Statistics show that over 17% of preschool children with employed Moms are cared for by their Dads. More than 1/4 of working women earn an income greater than their husbands. Often families today feel that one parent should stay home with the children – and men are responding … Continue reading
Gloria and Marilyn’s article, in closing, suggests that you keep the channels of communication open. Dialoguing and sharing experiences requires listening, not necessarily agreeing. Each party needs to be heard and wants to be understood. The challenge lies in working it out in a way that is respectful to family members. The reality is that being gracious takes less psychic time and energy, and you may indeed grow to like, even love, your parent’s new spouse or partner. Family harmony often means only relatively minor changes in long held perceptions … Continue reading
