Page 17 - Indulge October/November 2015
P. 17
am Gier, 49, is a mother of in their 40s and 50s are "sandwiched," relationship” as a parent’s memory
three, a new grandmother, a pressed by the needs of aging parents fades, and his or her personality may
wife and a daughter to aging and children. Most caregivers are change. “They can’t connect in the way
parents. She’s also a nurse. women, and about two-thirds of them they used to connect.”
fall into the Sandwich Generation, After all, families are all about
PSix years ago, as Alzheimer’s says Kelly Carney, executive director relationships. Gier’s twins, now 12
disease overtook her father, of Phoebe’s Center for Excellence in years old, have learned how to talk
Thomas Miller, now 86, she realized Dementia Care. “These are individuals with their grandfather; they can have
she couldn’t manage her twins, Jacob who are caring for a parent who’s a nice conversation about flowers, for
and Mackenzie, who were 6 years old becoming less independent in their instance. But Gier grieves that they will
at the time and care for her parents. own care, oftentimes holding a job and remember him only as a man lost to
The family moved Thomas to a skilled caring for a husband and children.” Alzheimer’s disease.
nursing home. Gier’s father now lives in an “My older son knew him before this
“I felt guilty,” she said. “I’m a Alzheimer’s unit at Pheobe in Allentown happened,” she says, “but the younger
nurse. I felt I could take care of them, and his wife, Janet, lives across the children didn’t know him as he was.”
but I couldn’t.”
Pam Gier taking a break in
her Whitehall Township home.
Photo by Sarah Evans
Gier and her husband, James, of street in an independent living unit that Everett notes that many Sandwich october/november 2015 • indulge | 17
Whitehall Township, are members is part of the complex. Gier’s oldest Generation individuals are helping
of the Sandwich Generation, people son, Joshua, 28, and his wife, Kristy, out financially, too. “We find that
in their 40s and 50s who are taking had their first child, Tyler, 6 months sometimes, the people of the
care of aging parents and either young ago. Like Gier, they live in Whitehall Sandwich Generation are also taking
children or grown kids who have moved Township. In April, Gier put in for a on the financial burden — their
back home. new schedule at Lehigh Valley Hospital, children are moving back home
This is a group of people who have going from four 10-hour weekdays to because of the struggling job market
a lot of balls in the air, says Lauren weekend nights. And still, “it’s difficult and they’re subsidizing their parent’s
Everett, Director of Admissions at to find the time I’d like to give them,” care,” she says. “They’re missing work
Phoebe Ministries Richland facility. she says of her parents. because they have to run their parents
“They’re juggling the care of their Caring for an aging parent who to doctor appointments.”
children with the care of their parents, is losing independence also has an About 15 percent of middle-aged
all while trying to work, maintain a emotional cost, one that is magnified adults open their wallets for both their
home, maintain relationships, and if if the parent has the progressive children and older parents, Pew found.
they’re lucky, they’ll have somewhat memory-loss ailment Alzheimer’s Although Gier doesn’t support her
of a social life in their spare time,” disease. “All caregiving is stressful,” parents financially, she says navigating
she says. notes Carney, who is a psychologist. the system on behalf of her parents
A 2013 Pew report, “The Sandwich “But with dementia, you have not only was a bewildering journey. “Someone
Generation,” says 47 percent of people the caregiving tasks but the loss of should write a book on Medicaid,” she
— continued on page 18 —
three, a new grandmother, a pressed by the needs of aging parents fades, and his or her personality may
wife and a daughter to aging and children. Most caregivers are change. “They can’t connect in the way
parents. She’s also a nurse. women, and about two-thirds of them they used to connect.”
fall into the Sandwich Generation, After all, families are all about
PSix years ago, as Alzheimer’s says Kelly Carney, executive director relationships. Gier’s twins, now 12
disease overtook her father, of Phoebe’s Center for Excellence in years old, have learned how to talk
Thomas Miller, now 86, she realized Dementia Care. “These are individuals with their grandfather; they can have
she couldn’t manage her twins, Jacob who are caring for a parent who’s a nice conversation about flowers, for
and Mackenzie, who were 6 years old becoming less independent in their instance. But Gier grieves that they will
at the time and care for her parents. own care, oftentimes holding a job and remember him only as a man lost to
The family moved Thomas to a skilled caring for a husband and children.” Alzheimer’s disease.
nursing home. Gier’s father now lives in an “My older son knew him before this
“I felt guilty,” she said. “I’m a Alzheimer’s unit at Pheobe in Allentown happened,” she says, “but the younger
nurse. I felt I could take care of them, and his wife, Janet, lives across the children didn’t know him as he was.”
but I couldn’t.”
Pam Gier taking a break in
her Whitehall Township home.
Photo by Sarah Evans
Gier and her husband, James, of street in an independent living unit that Everett notes that many Sandwich october/november 2015 • indulge | 17
Whitehall Township, are members is part of the complex. Gier’s oldest Generation individuals are helping
of the Sandwich Generation, people son, Joshua, 28, and his wife, Kristy, out financially, too. “We find that
in their 40s and 50s who are taking had their first child, Tyler, 6 months sometimes, the people of the
care of aging parents and either young ago. Like Gier, they live in Whitehall Sandwich Generation are also taking
children or grown kids who have moved Township. In April, Gier put in for a on the financial burden — their
back home. new schedule at Lehigh Valley Hospital, children are moving back home
This is a group of people who have going from four 10-hour weekdays to because of the struggling job market
a lot of balls in the air, says Lauren weekend nights. And still, “it’s difficult and they’re subsidizing their parent’s
Everett, Director of Admissions at to find the time I’d like to give them,” care,” she says. “They’re missing work
Phoebe Ministries Richland facility. she says of her parents. because they have to run their parents
“They’re juggling the care of their Caring for an aging parent who to doctor appointments.”
children with the care of their parents, is losing independence also has an About 15 percent of middle-aged
all while trying to work, maintain a emotional cost, one that is magnified adults open their wallets for both their
home, maintain relationships, and if if the parent has the progressive children and older parents, Pew found.
they’re lucky, they’ll have somewhat memory-loss ailment Alzheimer’s Although Gier doesn’t support her
of a social life in their spare time,” disease. “All caregiving is stressful,” parents financially, she says navigating
she says. notes Carney, who is a psychologist. the system on behalf of her parents
A 2013 Pew report, “The Sandwich “But with dementia, you have not only was a bewildering journey. “Someone
Generation,” says 47 percent of people the caregiving tasks but the loss of should write a book on Medicaid,” she
— continued on page 18 —
