Written by: Meaning & Hope Institute
Deanne Poulos, a support group facilitator and family caregiver services staff member for Duet: Partners In Health & Aging, was invited to join a recent episode of the Dementia Untangled podcast. She shared practical tips for caregivers sandwiched between their parent(s) and children. Deanne has personal experience caring for her late parents, and continually learns from Duet support group participants. See below for more details and to listen to this episode of Dementia Untangled podcast.
Unpacking Sandwich Caregiving
“More than 11 million Americans are caring for an aging parent while raising their own children at home. This is what experts* call “Sandwich Caregiving” where the adults are providing for both their parents and own young families. Guest Deanne Poulos, with Duet: Partners in Health and Aging, shares what you should think about as you develop a plan for becoming a caregiver to someone with dementia while also caring for children. She offers practical advice to caregivers about managing expectations and utilizing your family and friends to share some of the responsibilities as you redistribute roles and communicate goals of care. We discuss maintaining a sense of home for each family member as 3 different generations blend together, creating new traditions, and focusing less on minute details.
*National Alliance for Caregiving and Caring Across Generations, 2019.“
Listen to this episode using the audio player below or visit https://cutt.ly/DementiaUntangledEp31 to find the Dementia Untangled podcast on your favorite podcast player. To learn more about support groups and other services for family caregivers from Duet contact Deanne Poulos at poulos@duetaz.org.
The Dementia Untangled podcast, a program of Banner Health, explores unique topics related to dementia through conversations with physicians, experts, and community leaders—focusing on innovative ideas, practical strategies, and proven methods to create a supportive path for caregivers. Contact DementiaUntangled@bannerhealth.com for more information.
