Working sandwiched-generation caregivers: Prevalence, characteristics, and outcomes.

Abstract

Some workers today are caring for family members at both ends of the life span-children and elders. This first national study specifically of dual-earner couples in the sandwiched generation examined their prevalence and their work and family characteristics and outcomes. Couples who were married or living together for at least 1 year who met additional study qualifications were identified using computer-assisted telephone interviewing; both members of 309 couples from across the United States independently completed mail surveys. Screening results indicated that between 9% and 13% of U.S. households contain adults aged 30 or over who work and who provide care to both aging parents and children. This paper (a) presents an overview of existing literature concerning the sandwiched generation; (b) describes key characteristics and outcomes for dual-earner couples caring for children and aging parents; (c) compares the findings for husbands and wives; and (d) discusses the implications of these findings both for future research and for current practice by managers.Maintaining a job while managing family responsibilities is a major challenge for much of today's workforce, and some workers are caring for family members at both ends of the life span-children and elders. Although research exists on these working couples and their caregiving responsibilities, very little is known about the work and family characteristics and outcomes of such individuals. Working couples caring for children and aging parents have been dubbed the sandwich or sandwiched generation (e.g.

Lifetime probabilities of multigenerational caregiving and labor force attachment in Australia

“…While Hammer and Neal (2008) found 9% to 13% of US employed couple households caring for children and aging parents or parents-in-law for a sample at least 30 years of age, adding our MGC figures for care for parents or parents-in-law only yields an estimate of 1.3% in Australia, albeit for a sample ranging to 16 years of age. DePasquale et al (2014) found 14% of women fitting the broadest definition of MGC status used here (except excluding non-relative care), while the Australian estimate is 2.3%.…”

“…However, these conclusions come with two important caveats. First, the evidence (Table 1) suggests that restricting the definition of MGC status to care providers for children and parents or aging adults, as in "sandwich generation" studies (e.g., Hammer and Neal 2008), would substantially reduce the lifetime probability of holding MGC status. Second, due to data limitations, grandparents caring for grandchildren and an adult were excluded from this study; arguably, that group should be included, which would raise the lifetime probability for holding MGC status.…”

“…Restricting the definition to unpaid care (ignoring financial support), Pierret's study found that 4.1% of women held MGC status. While screening to identify 309 dual-earner couples holding MGC status, Hammer and Neal (2008) found between 9% and 13% of US households with employed adults aged 30 years and above caring for children and aging parents or parents-in-law. DePasquale et al (2014) defined MGC status as having children 18 years or younger living in the household and providing unpaid care of at least three hours per week to an adult relative.…”

Present Status of Organizational Work–Life Balance Practices in Bangladesh: Employees Expectation and Organizational Arrangements

“…The "worklife balance' is a broader concept that generally individuals struggle a lot to make a balance for all aspects of life such as personal care, child care, family care and work roles (Kirchmeyer, 2000). As life expectancy increases, present days the workers' responsibilities are increasing day by day like eldercare and childcare and it is badly needed to take some initiatives to make a balance between work and family life (Hammer & Neal, 2008).…”

Ethical considerations in chronic musculoskeletal disease

“…Because of demographic changes that involve increased longevity and delayed childbearing, often women provide care both for their children and their aging parents. In many cases, this is in addition to their paying jobs [13]. These taken-for-granted traditional roles put severe strains on women's lives and well-beings.…”