Latest news with #sandwichgeneration
CBS News
18 hours ago
- Business
- CBS News
Couple faces retirement fears amid market swings: "We don't have do-over time"
Dinner at the Gomez home outside Boston provides a textbook image of the sandwich generation: three sets of relatives living under one roof. "A club sandwich has a lot of layers, and we have a lot of layers," 57-year-old Alicia Gomez said. It's not the easiest way to save for retirement, as Gomez and her 59-year-old husband, Chu, told CBS News during an interview last year. Back then, their nest egg was healthy and growing. Stocks were climbing, hitting an all-time high by February of this year. But they cratered as the trade war started, only to climb back and recover most of the losses. "I feel like I'm on a rollercoaster," Alicia Gomez said. "You just hope that if we're gonna be on the downturn now, will we be on the upturn when we decide to retire?" Like millions of Americans, the couple is experiencing waves of an uncertain, see-sawing market. These gyrations can trigger rash decisions, said labor economist Teresa Ghilarducci of the New School for Social Research. "We have a name for living through that kind of volatility, and it's called scarring," Ghilarducci said, stressing the importance of asking the experts in times of financial crisis. "Do not talk to your friends or your family about what to do. Take a breath, take a minute and rely on expert advice," Ghilarducci said. Alicia, who holds down two jobs, had thought maybe she'd cut back work at 62. Chu, who works in logistics, thought it would be at 65. Now, they've adjusted that mindset. "It's probably gonna be 67 at least, but you know, I think there's still a lot of unknowns," Alicia said. Right now, the couple is maxing out their retirement accounts, Chu said, but that could change if they needed to pull back. Adding to their anxiety is the fear that the Social Security system could run dry. There's been a 13% jump this year in people claiming retirement benefits early, despite the reduced payouts, according to the Urban Institute. Ghilarducci strongly advises against that. "Wait for the maximum benefit that you can get. Don't haircut yourself now, anticipating it'll be cut later," she said. The Gomezes say their retirement investments are up by about 3% this year, so they'll simply sit tight and work hard to hold onto their jobs. "A lot of us have been through a lot within, you know, just less than a year. We don't have do-over time," Alicia said.
Fast Company
3 days ago
- Business
- Fast Company
America's sandwich generation is overwhelmed. Can this app help?
launched in 2006 as a platform that helps parents find babysitters and nannies. But nearly two decades later, the company came across some disconcerting data: According to Pew, 64% of young women and 50% of young men don't want children, a figure that has been rising in recent years. As conducted its own research, it discovered that one significant reason for this phenomenon is that young people are overwhelmed by all the different forms of care they must provide. In a survey, the company found that 28% of people have caregiving responsibilities for parents, grandparents, and other loved ones; 35% say this makes them less likely to have children. Indeed, by 2034, the number of seniors will outpace children. 'So many of us are living in the 'sandwich generation,' caring for both kids and aging parents,' says Brad Wilson, CEO. 'There's a compounding effect.' believes it can better position itself to be a resource at this cultural moment, providing much more than just childcare, but also senior care, pet care, home services, and even finding summer camps for kids. Today, it's unveiling a new brand identity that highlights a more comprehensive approach to caregiving. It also launching new tools that help families manage the mental load of juggling all these different caregivers. But the company also acknowledges that the caregiving crisis in America is also rooted in systemic issues, including the high cost of raising children and the lack of government support for families. So is also playing a role in advocating corporate and government policies that bring down the cost of caregiving. A Compounding Burden has observed the growing burden of caregiving, as society has evolved in recent decades. For one thing, as women's workforce participation has increased, more families are looking for daycare, nannies, and babysitters. Also, Americans no longer live in multigenerational families. 'Families no longer feel like they have a 'village' to raise their child,' says Meiling Tan, VP of Brand. 'Grandparents often live across the country. We don't live in places where we can ask a neighbor for help in a pinch.' Wilson points out that the pandemic exacerbated this situation. During the lockdowns, parents had to work while also taking care of their children, leading to overwhelm. Many professional caregivers also felt burnt out and left the industry altogether. And the cost of care kept increasing. 'There's a lot of mental anguish around caregiving,' he says. 'People are losing sleep about all of this.' allows users to search for caregivers for free; it also offers a premium membership that costs between $13 and $40 gives you more features like unlimited messaging and access to a broader range of caregivers. The company has been steadily adding new services to meet the needs of its customers. In the realm of childcare, for instance, the platform offers tutoring, night nurses, camps, and help finding pre-schools. But importantly, the company now offers more forms of care for adults, from housekeeping services to help with post-surgery recovery to dog walking. When it comes to senior care, it offers everything from hospice support to memory care. And yet, the company says most people still see as a platform that specializes in childcare support, which is why it has invested in a comprehensive rebrand to help change this perception. Today, it unveils a new logo: It's a green box with a large letter 'C' with a smaller letter 'c' nestled inside it. The font and the green color scheme is a change from previous coral palette. The imagery on the site, as well as in the new advertising campaign, will emphasize different types of care. 'Before the site definitely felt more childlike,' says Tan. 'We wanted to redesign our homepage to make it look more sophisticated, and show that we provide more holistic care.' This rebranding is designed to spur growth for The team hopes it will attract customers who may not know all the services the company provides, while also introducing existing customers to new kinds of caregiving. built its user base with the help of venture capital: It received a total of $156.8 million in funding between its 2006 launch and 2012. Then, in 2019, it was acquired for $500 million by IAC, the conglomerate that also operates DotDash and People Magazine. Over the past two decades, it's faced a growing array of competitors, from platforms like UrbanSitter and Sittercity, to Facebook groups which enable babysitters to connect with parents in a particular neighborhood. A Mental Burden Along with this rebrand, the company is also focused on helping manage the complexity and stress of juggling all these different forms of care. For instance, creating a shortlist of nannies then interviewing them is a laborious task. has launched a messaging platform that allows you to easily eliminate caregivers from a search or keep them in the running. Soon, it will launch a hiring hub where you can take notes on the backend and sort through candidates more efficiently. It is also unveiling an AI search function so you can lay out what you are looking for in a caregiver in your own words. The platform will then search for the right person using descriptions from the caregivers' profiles. 'You can ask for a meal prep guru or someone who loves art so they can do crafts with your kids,' says Tan. 'And we'll deliver results tailored to your needs.' users have also said that safety is a big cause of concern. So the new website will feature a safety center that explains the platform's robust background checks, from an initial criminal check to continuous monitoring of caregivers. It also allows you to pay for more comprehensive background checks. (There's also a dedicated safety team at that is available around the clock for users to call in the case of a crisis.) Systemic Problems Wilson points out that while can be helpful to Americans struggling with all their responsibilities, the caregiving crisis is a product of many systemic issues. Paying for caregivers is very expensive, and many families feel crushed by these costs. One solution has developed Care for Business, where it partners with companies who can pay to give employees free premium memberships and also subsidize the cost of caregivers. Employees can get access to 'backup care' for days when regular caregiving falls through; a caregiver can be sent at the last minute so the employee can return to work. 'We've found that employees with caregiving benefits are more likely to stay at their job and not miss days of work,' says Wilson. 'This is great for the employee, but it's also great for the employer.' But ultimately, Wilson says that part of the burden American families feel has to do with the lack of government support. does policy work, advocating for child tax credits, for instance. And Wilson himself is the co-chair of the Future of Care Economy at the World Economic Forum, where he advocates for leaders around the world to prioritize the care sector. For Tan, part of her work as head of branding is to elevate the role of caregivers in society through the brand's website and advertising. 'From personal experience, many of our caregivers talk about themselves as just a babysitter or just a nanny,' she says. 'We're trying to change the narrative so that caregiving is a respected, celebrated profession. Caregivers do more than help families; they are what keeps our economy going.'
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
My husband and I took our kids and parents on a bucket list trip. It was so worth it.
My husband and I are part of the sandwich generation, raising little kids and caring for parents. We realized that it was time to do those bucket list trips we had all been waiting for. The trip was over a year and my dad still raves about it. When you first have kids, lots of well-meaning (or obnoxious) folks will tell you, "The days are long but the years are short." What no one tells you is that this also applies to our parents. As part of the sandwich generation raising young children while also seeing our parents age and all the ups and downs that accompany that, that adage now hits hard. Both my dad and my husband's parents are now in their 80s, while our youngest child is 6. When we were in the throes of new parenthood and trying to figure out how to juggle two full-time commuting jobs with day care, daily life, and everything in between, the thought of trying to plan a multigenerational vacation honestly probably never occurred to us. Sure, there were the little weekend trips here and there, but as it became clear our parents were aging, we started wondering about those bucket list experiences they'd always wanted to do with their grandkids that everyone just kept putting off year after year because life is always too busy and time always goes way too fast. We'd taken for granted that our parents were relatively healthy, mobile, and active. As someone who lost my mom at 29, I was always highly aware that life is short and we should take our opportunities while able. Even with that knowledge, the years flew by. For my dad, the bucket list dream he'd always talked about was taking all of his kids and grandkids to South Korea, where he was born, and introducing us to the remaining aunts and uncles of his eight siblings that we'd never met, along with a particular request to rent traditional Korean clothes (hanboks) and wear them for family pictures. He was already over 80, which seems to mean you just never know if there will be a bad fall or serious health issues at any given moment. Basically, the time to go was yesterday, so after chatting with my younger siblings, we got moving. While planning a multigenerational trip that involves five adults with their own schedules and three young kids to another country is no small feat, we managed to make it happen — and I'm forever grateful we did. One of the primary challenges was finding places to stay that allowed room for everyone and thanks to an amazing traditional Korean house, called a hanok, my brother found on AirBnB and another spacious multi-room condo Airbnb, we were able to be together but still have some space to spread out, which I would argue is essential with a trip with multiple family members. I'll never forget meeting aunts and uncles for the first time and my kids will talk about all the things we did together with their grandfather and uncles and beg to go back. While the trip was now over a year ago, but dad still raves about it. I made him a photo book to remember the trip and it wasn't all the sightseeing we did or delicious food we ate he remembers, it was just the time spent together. Fast-forward a year later and we were able to make another parent's dream trip with their grandchildren come true. My mother-in-law is a lifelong equestrian and had often brought up wanting to take a trail ride with the entire family at a ranch. At the time, many of the grandkids were too young to ride, but this past year seemed like the perfect time. We headed off to the gorgeous Alisal Ranch in Santa Ynez for a memorable girls-only trip, from Grandma to the six-year-old. It was clearly a property meant for family reunions and multigenerational vacations. The cabin we stayed in had a clever Murphy bunk bed, couch bed, and spacious bedroom for Grandma to rest comfortably. It was a slower pace of trip that appealed to both young and old. Sitting on the porch watching horses meandering around while the sunsets will always remain a highlight, as will the friendly goats in the barn the kids went back day after day to pet. Eating each meal together and just hanging out is basically what any grandparent really wants, and we had that in spades. The trip culminated in a wonderful morning horse ride to a "cowboy breakfast" (the youngest and I went in a wagon instead). The all-inclusive nature of the property made it a super easy no-fuss planning process and everyone got to do what they wanted, whether it was just running around the expansive lawn, making crafts in the kids' art room, or playing ping-pong and roasting s'mores with Grandma. If you're like me and have been sitting around wondering when to make a special trip with the grandparents happen, the answer is now. None of us are getting any younger, and it's such a precious window when everyone is healthy enough, the kids are willing and able, and you have the opportunity to make literal dreams come true. There will never be a perfect time when work or extracurricular activities don't have to get rearranged but trust me, it's not something you'll ever regret. Read the original article on Business Insider
SBS Australia
13-05-2025
- General
- SBS Australia
'Learning from each other': How couple faces challenges of intercultural marriage
SBS Indonesian 13/05/2025 11:26 Love has never cared much about borders, languages, or cultural differences. But when you're building a life with someone from a completely different background, there's no denying it throws up some unique hurdles. For Emma Dainona, a 44-year-old who works as a retail worker and a singer, navigating these differences has become second nature. She spoke with SBS Indonesia about her cross-cultural marriage to her husband, David Gum. "I learn his culture, he learns mine. At home, we just apply what works for us," said Dainona, a Perth resident of Indonesian origin whose husband is from a different culture. Dealing with stereotypes It's no secret that mixed-culture relationships often cop their fair share of stereotypes and judgments. Dainona considers herself lucky to have avoided direct discrimination, though she's well aware many couples in her position aren't so fortunate. "Look, I think if people have those assumptions, we can't control what they think or believe. What matters is that we stay true to ourselves," Dainona said. Supporting parents in Indonesia The "sandwich generation" phenomenon—where individuals bear dual responsibilities for parents and their immediate family, both financially and emotionally—represents a common reality for many Indonesian families. Dainona's on board with this idea. In fact, she sees caring for her parents as an integral part of loving them. Though she can't physically care for her parents, as they're thousands of kilometres away from Perth, Dainona maintains caring by providing financial support and visiting them as often as they can. Personal identity in the surname One of the more personal cultural differences Dainona has grappled with is whether to take her husband's surname—a common practice in Australia but not typically done in Indonesia. A surname, for Dainona, represents cultural identity and personal autonomy. So,"for now, I'm sticking with my original name. I haven't decided about taking his surname yet. I'm still weighing up the pros and cons, and I don't want to rush into anything," Dainona said. Listen to on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays at 3pm. Follow us on and , and don't miss our
