How to Prevent Sandwich Generation Caregiver Burnout

If you're raising young children while also caring for an aging adult, you’re part of the sandwich generation. There’s a lot of responsibility that comes with caring for two generations at once, and the pressure to do it ALL can be overwhelming at times. You’re pulled in so many different directions, juggling school drop-offs, meal preparation, medical appointments, financial management, etc., often alongside a demanding full-time or part-time job. 

When you’re stretched that thin, burnout is a constant threat. According to a National Alliance for Caregiving (NAC) survey, of the estimated 11 million sandwich generation caregivers, 33% experience high emotional stress, 36% carry a high overall burden of care, 18% report high physical strain, and 20% report that caregiving has actively worsened their overall health. 

Burnout may be common among sandwich generation caregivers, but it is manageable with the right support. Let’s dive into practical ways to protect your well-being while caring for the people you love.

7 Tips to Prevent Burnout as a Sandwich Generation Caregiver

1. Recognize the Warning Signs

Burnout often sneaks up in subtle ways most people usually ignore until it’s too late. Recognizing these warning signs lets you adjust before you reach total exhaustion.

According to Mayo Clinic, these common signs of caregiver stress can build into burnout: 

• Feeling burdened or worrying constantly
• Frequent tiredness or exhaustion
• Sleeping too much or too little
• Becoming easily irritated or angry
• Losing interest in activities once enjoyed
• Frequent headaches or other health problems
• Withdrawing from social interactions 

If several of these signs sound familiar, treat them as a signal to start making changes sooner rather than later. The most direct place to start is with your own care.

2. Prioritize Your Own Care 

Among sandwich generation caregivers, 44% report needing help managing their own emotional and physical stress. Caregivers often put their own needs last, which leaves little room to catch problems early. 

Start by putting your own care on the calendar in the same way you would for your loved ones. Scheduled appointments, activities, and breaks are harder to push aside than the ones you plan to fit in when there’s “time.” 

A few more simple ways to prioritize your health:

• Keep your own medical appointments
• Do something you enjoy
• Take a longer shower or bath 
• Protect your sleep
• Join a support group
• Arrange respite care (even just for an hour or two)

The flight attendant’s advice to put on your own oxygen mask first also applies to caregiving. You can only keep up with your loved ones’ care if your own health holds up along the way. 

3. Sort the Tasks Before Managing Them

Write down everything you handle in a typical week, from pharmacy runs to bill paying. Then sort each task into one of three groups:

1. Needs medical training: 
   
   • Wound care
   • Administering medications
   • Managing equipment
2. Needs someone reliable: 
   
   • Transportation
   • Meal preparation
   • Household chores
   • Errands
3. Can be reduced: 
   
   • Include anything that could happen less often or in a simpler way

It will take some time upfront to actually write it all out, but seeing the full list makes it easier to decide the importance of each task. Repeat this exercise every few months, since care needs and tasks can change over time. 

Note: If unsure which tasks require a nurse to perform, check out our blog post about the difference between a nurse and a professional caregiver.

4. Get Trained on the Medical Tasks

According to the NAC, about 41% of sandwich generation caregivers perform medical tasks without any prior training. Also, don’t feel discouraged if you get home (especially after a hospital stay) and you can’t remember exactly what was taught. Unfortunately, research shows this is quite common, with about 40-80% of medical information provided by healthcare professionals is forgotten almost immediately. 

Personalized, hands-on training is the most practical solution to this problem. Ask your care team to demonstrate each task you’re unsure about, then repeat it back while they watch. Request written instructions and a number to call with questions as well. 

Training might include medical tasks like:

• How to administer medications
• Assisting with daily activities of living
• Safely transferring a patient from one position to another
• Managing specific medical conditions
• Preventing pressure injuries and infections
• Caring for wounds
• Using medical equipment

With training and practice, these tasks become safer for your loved one and less stressful for you. 

5. Delegate to Trusted People in Your Life

Asking family for help sounds simple enough until the “help” creates more work for you. A relative who needs reminders, step-by-step instructions, or a check-in after every task becomes one more person to manage on top of the care itself. It’s understandable that some sandwich generation caregivers just stop asking for help altogether.

However, asking for help is still one of the most effective ways to lighten the load. You’ve already made your list of tasks needing to be completed. You can show that list to your trusted family member and let them choose how to help. 

A few other ways you can delegate:

• Choose the person by reliability
• Pick tasks with a clear start and finish
• Match the task to the person
• Accept different methods of getting things done
• Keep medical tasks with trained people

Start with ONE task and ONE person. If it works for you and them, add another and go from there.

6. Protect Your Finances the Best You Can

Unfortunately, caregiving costs add up very quickly. In the NAC survey, 20% of sandwich generation caregivers reported high financial strain. Caregivers spend nearly $7,000 a year out of pocket on adult care, which can easily become financially burdensome. 

Among employed sandwich generation caregivers in the NAC survey, 54% had flexible work hours, 36% had enough paid leave to care for a family member, and 26% had access to an employee assistance program (EAP). However, many caregivers are unsure what their employer offers, so ask your human resources about flexible or remote schedules, paid leave options, and EAP counseling. 

Additionally, the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) provides up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave per year to care for a family member with a serious health condition. It applies to employers with 50 or more employees, and workers must meet length-of-service and hour requirements.

You may also find assistance through the National Family Caregiver Support Program, which may offer counseling, training, transportation, and respite care for family caregivers. Services vary by location, so make sure to ask what is available and what it costs. 

Access to these resources and benefits can make it easier to protect your financial stability and keep your job while caring for your loved one. Using what already exists is a low-effort way to reduce financial pressure before it leads to burnout. Also, connect with your accountant to tap into federal tax deductions if your loved one has a chronic condition and needs assistance with at least 2 activities of daily living. Your care may be 100% tax deductible. 

7. Bring in Professional Help

The NAC found that 43% of sandwich generation caregivers wanted more help keeping their care recipient safe at home. Hiring help can start small, with a few hours a week, and grow as needs change. It also gives you and your family a backup when the primary caregiver is sick, needs to work, or needs to travel. 

Professional help typically falls into two categories:

1. Medical tasks: 
   
   • Assessing vital signs
   • Evaluating care needs
   • Administering medications 
   • Wound care
   • Managing medical equipment
2. Daily living support:
   
   • Transportation
   • Household chores
   • Meal preparation
   • Bathing and grooming
   • Mobility support

You can find help in several places, such as community resources, Medicare home health services, or private nursing companies. Cost is a common concern when hiring professional help, and our guide on paying for home care explains your options.

Putting Your Own Oxygen Mask On First

Sandwich generation caregivers who manage a job, young kids, and an adult’s care at the same time can burn out quickly. But being a dedicated caregiver does NOT mean sacrificing your own health, and the only way to provide care to your loved ones long-term is if you get the support you need first.

Navi offers concierge nursing services for medical tasks and professional caregiving services for daily living tasks. The right support can relieve the burden and overwhelm that lead to burnout. 

Contact us here for a free consultation.

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