Challenges Faced by Members of the Sandwich Generation
The sandwich generation is considered middle-aged adults with young children at home but also has aging parents to care for (Vitell, 2015). According to a study produced by the Pew Research Center, 1 in every 8 Americans between 35 and 65 are caring for an aging parent. The study also stated that an additional seven to ten million Americans help their parent or other aging relatives even from a distance” (Vitell, 2015). Maintaining care for these individuals can be burdensome as many also care for their children at home. Caring for aging parents is not a new concept; however, the overall improvement in senior care over the last fifty years has assisted these individuals in living longer. This requires the children of aging parents to respect their parents “decades longer than their parents or grandparents did” (Vitell, 2015). The stress of caring for their aging parents while raising children simultaneously can be immense. A study conducted by the American Psychological Association in 2007 stated that mothers in this life stage experience “more stress than any other age group” as they learn to “balance the demanding, delicate acts of caring for growing children and aging parents” (APA, 2022).
Middle adulthood is considered a period where an individual reflects on their life. Erik Erikson describes this period as Generativity vs. Stagnation (Lumen Learning, 2021). Erikson believed this stage is a conflict of care (Lumen Learning, 2021). Generativity is defined as “a concern for the generalized other” where the individual becomes concerned about how they are influencing the next generation (Lumen Learning, 2021). One factor of generativity is parenthood, but it also conflicts with caring for the older generation (Lumen Learning, 2021). The other side of the conflict is stagnation (Lumen Learning, 2021). Stagnation is the lack of motivation or “an underdeveloped sense of self” (Lumen Learning, 2021). When an individual experiences severe stagnation, society has coined the experience as a midlife crisis (Lumen Learning, 2021).
If I were to speculate what Erikson would advise to those experiencing the sandwich generation, I would think he would emphasize the personal investment these individuals make in their home lives. Although they may feel like they are failing on one end or another, they positively impact the relationships around them by maintaining care (Lumen Learning, 2021). He would describe this stage of life as temporary and encourage resolve by focusing on the sense of self and its positive impact so that they can successfully move on to the next step (Lumen Learning, 2021).
References
APA. (2022). Sandwich-generation moms are feeling the squeeze. American Psychological Association. Retrieved April 3, 2022, from https://www.apa.org/topics/families/sandwich- generation
Lumen Learning. (2021). Lifespan development. Lumen. Retrieved March 20, 2022, from https://courses.lumenlearning.com/wmopen-lifespandevelopment/chapter/theories-of-ad lt-psychosocial-development/
Vitell, R. (2015). Being in the sandwich generation. Psychology Today. Retrieved April 3, 2022, from https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/media-spotlight/201501/being-in-the-sandwich-generation
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Question 
Challenges Faced by Members of the Sandwich Generation
What are the challenges that members of the “sandwich generation” face? Given what you have learned about various theorists this semester (e.g., Erikson, Jung, etc.), choose ONE and speculate what advice they would give sandwich generation members.