Ever feel like you're everyone's go-to person? You're not alone. One in four Australians are caring for someone right now, and many are juggling multiple generations at once.

Imagine taking care of your parents, your children, your grandchildren, and even great-grandchildren all at the same time. This is the reality for many people today. They're part of the "Sandwich Generation" because they're squeezed between caring for so many family members at once. When it extends to four generations, some call it the "Club Sandwich Generation."

Quick Facts

• Unpaid caregiving is worth $15 billion annually to Australia (

• Sandwich Generation caregivers are typically aged 45-65 

• Over 2.6 million Australians provide unpaid care to family members

• Many care for 3-4 generations simultaneously

Meet Cheryl

Cheryl is 63 years old and lives this reality every day. She takes care of her 90-year-old mother who has Alzheimer's disease. She also helps her daughter, who has a chronic illness called fibromyalgia. Plus, she helps raise five grandchildren, including two with special needs. Until recently, she was also fostering a 12-year-old child. Cheryl's story shows us how hard this can be, but also how much love and strength these caregivers have.

The Hidden Value of Family Care

The Sandwich Generation provides enormous value to society, though most people don't realise it. According to Carers Australia, unpaid caregiving is worth $15 billion per year to the Australian economy.

"I'm saving the government tens of thousands of dollars." - Cheryl

These caregivers do work that would otherwise require paid professionals and government services. Many of these caregivers need government financial support to survive. This isn't because they don't want to work in traditional jobs. It's because caring for multiple family members makes regular employment nearly impossible. The current system requires them to look for work or do volunteer hours to receive benefits, even though they're already doing valuable, unpaid work caring for their families.

Why Routine Matters So Much

Cheryl knows something important about caring for people: routine helps everyone feel better. Every Thursday, she takes her mother to the same restaurant for the same meal. Then they go shopping. Then she takes her mother back to the care home. This might sound boring, but it's actually an act of love.

"When a parent has advanced dementia, it's a bit like having a child:  it has to be routine. Routine is key." - Cheryl

When someone has advanced dementia, their world becomes confusing and scary. Having the same activities each week helps them feel safe and loved. It also helps Cheryl maintain their relationship as her mother's disease slowly progresses and changes how her mind works.

Know someone caring for a family member with dementia? Share this insight with them.

How Caring for One Person Affects Everyone

When you care for many people, helping one person often means helping others too. Cheryl is the "safe person" for her 9-year-old grandson, who has special needs. She's the only one who can calm him down when he gets upset. This means she has to be ready to help him at school, take him to therapy, and deal with any problems that come up.

At the same time, she's managing her mother's care and helping her daughter, who has a chronic illness. All of this caring takes a lot of energy and time. When you spend all your time helping others, it becomes hard to maintain your own friendships and social connections.

Finding Ways to Take a Break

Even with so much to do, Cheryl has found ways to give her mind a rest. She loves reading fantasy books and watching science fiction movies. "They're my escapes from reality to escape from everything and just be somewhere else in a different world," she says. This shows how important it is for caregivers to have something just for themselves.

Simple Self-Care Tips for Sandwich Generation Caregivers:

• Set aside 30 minutes each day for something you enjoy, like reading, music, or a hobby

• Take short walks outside when possible - fresh air and movement help reduce stress

• Accept help when it's offered, even for small tasks

• Connect with one friend or family member regularly, even if it's just a quick phone call

• Practice deep breathing exercises during stressful moments

• Remember that taking care of yourself isn't selfish - it helps you care for others better

🥪❤️ Sometimes love comes with extra layers - and that's okay

What self-care tip works best for you? Share your thoughts in the comments.

What These Caregivers Need

The Sandwich Generation faces problems that most support systems weren't made to handle. For example, government help for caregivers often doesn't include money for driving people to appointments or helping them with daily tasks. But these activities take up huge amounts of time and energy.

Cheryl thinks three things would help:

• The government should recognise how much caregivers do for society

• There should be easy-to-find information about how to care for different types of people

• Caregivers should be able to connect with other people in the same situation

Real support means being able to talk to someone who understands what you're going through from their own lived experience.

What would help caregivers most in your community? Tell us in the comments.

Making Their Stories Heard

The most important thing is that people need to know the Sandwich Generation exists. Their stories, like Cheryl's, show us where our support systems are failing and how strong these caregivers really are. As Cheryl says about her situation, "It is very silent" - meaning that not many people talk about it or understand it.

These caregivers aren't just managing relationships - they're keeping families together, making sure vulnerable people get good care, and often giving up their own happiness to do it. Their work saves the healthcare system millions of dollars while keeping families strong across many generations.

What Needs to Change

The Sandwich Generation is growing, and we need to change how we support them. We need jobs that are flexible enough for people with caring responsibilities. We need better support for caregivers. And we need to recognise that caring for family is valuable work that helps everyone.

"Don't try and do it on your own. Ask questions." - Cheryl

She learned this from years of taking care of so many people. Her story shows us that while the Sandwich Generation might be invisible to many people, what they do for families and communities is incredibly important.

When we recognise and support the Sandwich Generation, we're not just helping them with their current problems. We're also learning from them about what it really means to be committed to family and community. Their strength, creativity, and love show us all how families can work together and support each other across many generations.

Know someone in the Sandwich Generation? Share this article to help spread awareness.

Would you like some help and support to talk about and plan for the later chapters of life? Are you caring for elderly parents or in-laws? Violet is here to help. Visit violet.org.au.

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