Feeling Sandwiched? Working, Raising Kids, and Caring for an Aging Parent by Equal Parts

Nearly half of all middle-aged Americans are responsible for raising children and caring for aging or ailing parents – millions of whom live with Alzheimer’s disease or dementia. Jody Gastfriend knows the stress of being “sandwiched” like this first-hand. A licensed clinical social worker with over 30 years of experience in senior care, she helped manage the care of her own father living with dementia for more than a decade. Her resulting book, My Parent’s Keeper: The Guilt, Grief, Guesswork, and Unexpected Gifts of Caregiving, is considered an essential guide to caring for aging and ailing family members. Jody joins the podcast to talk about the emotional, physical, and financial struggles adult children experience when they care for a parent living with Alzheimer’s disease or dementia…and how to overcome them.

Listen to this episode to learn:
-How to spot some of the early warning signs of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia
-Tips for self-care and managing the stress of working and caring for both children and aging parents
-Options and resources available to families who might not know where to turn
-Why long-term planning is key to easing the financial burden of Alzheimer’s and dementia care
-How and when to deal with difficult issues, like driving and resistance to care
-Why it’s important that employees talk to their managers and HR departments about senior care issues