Baby Boomers were the first true “sandwich generation,” and thus the first to suffer through the many and varied difficulties of caring for both young children and elderly parents. Today, more than ever before, young couples are trying to manage raising a family and caring for aging parents.

Trying to manage the myriad of tasks: taking care of young children, making sure mom and dad are receiving care, managing the household (and possibly your parent’s household), and staying on top work, as well as making time for yourself, can be very overwhelming.

How Care Aides can Help:

If there is anything that can make a difference in helping you manage the many tasks you have, it’s finding a professional care aide that can help. A care aide cannot only help manage aging parents’ day-to-day needs including foot care, housekeeping, medication reminders, and bathing, but they can also provide companionship – no small task, especially if an aging parent has lost a spouse and out-lived friends and acquaintances.

Care aides can also help you manage your own home. They can work on a full-time or part-time basis, may be permanent or temporary, and shift schedules may be a combination of day, evening, night, or weekend and holiday.

We are often kind to others while trying to push ourselves beyond our limits. The first step is accepting that we cannot do it all. It is important to clearly identify the needs of your family, and make a list of priorities that you can manage, and then make another list of tasks that could be completed by a care aide. Every task or chore that is removed from your busy schedule that can be completed by a care aide will not only provide you with more free time, but it will also relieve stress and worry.