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Nearly a quarter of U.S. adults fall into the sandwich generation, caregivers who are “sandwiched” between supporting an aging parent and their children, according to Pew Research Center. But due to a myriad of mounting financial and demographic forces in recent years, a new generation of caregivers has entered the scene: the club sandwich generation.
“The club sandwich generation is significantly more complex than the sandwich generation,” explains Sue Ryan, TEDx speaker, author and co-founder of The Caregiver’s Journey. “It’s made up of adults managing three or four generations simultaneously: children, grandchildren, parents, grandparents and sometimes adult children who’ve returned home.”
So how are these new complexities affecting caregivers? From new family structures to the unique struggles plaguing adults heading up larger multigenerational households, here, experts explain everything you need to know about the club sandwich generation.
Key takeaways
- The club sandwich generation is a growing population of adult caregivers who are supporting three or more generations of loved ones.
- Instead of building wealth before retirement, club sandwich caregivers are spending significant amounts of their own money supporting multiple generations.
- The club sandwich generation must orchestrate complex caregiving situations where one person’s emergency can trigger a domino effect across multiple family members.
What is the club sandwich generation?
While the sandwich generation supports two generations, the club sandwich generation is a growing population of adult caregivers who support three or more generations of loved ones. “The club sandwich generation is actually a type of sandwich generation, only that it has more ‘fillings,’” explains Melissa Legere, a licensed marriage and family therapist based in Cathedral City, California and clinical director for California Behavioral Health.
The majority of the club sandwich generation are adults in their 50s or 60s caring for elderly parents, adult children and grandchildren. However, club sandwich adults can also be in their 30s or 40s caring for their kids, parents and grandparents, Legere notes.
Additionally, because the club sandwich generation is inherently multi-layered, family structures can also include extended relatives, close friends or even community members. “These [groups] can replace one generation or even add to all four,” Legere says.
Why the club sandwich generation is on the rise
The club sandwich generation is partially the result of an overall increase in the number of people living in multigenerational households which quadrupled from 1971 to 2021. But as for the reason why even more generations are living under one roof nowadays?
“We’re experiencing the perfect caregiving storm,” says Ryan who has over 40 years of experience supporting caregivers. “We have multiple economic, medical, and demographic forces colliding simultaneously.” Here’s a closer look at the top factors driving the rise of the club sandwich generation, according to experts:
Cost of living increases
“Families aren’t choosing this lifestyle; they’re being economically forced into it,” Ryan says. Multigenerational families can save money by sharing high housing costs to afford a lifestyle that may not otherwise be possible.
The growing aging population
For the first time in U.S. history, more Americans need eldercare than child care, according to Harvard Business Review.
This, combined with soaring senior care costs, is forcing more families to welcome older generations into their home because senior care is financially impossible for many, says Ryan.
Student debt
At the same time, younger adults are facing significant barriers to independent living due to student loan debt which currently averages $39,000 per borrower. In fact, 31% of adults ages 25-29 who live in multigenerational households cite finances as the top factor for their shared living conditions.
Medical advancement
Due to improvements in medicine, lifespans are getting longer, according to the World Health Organization. However, many older adults are managing chronic diseases and multigenerational living has become a care solution, Ryan says.
5 most common club sandwich generation caregiving scenarios
Here’s a closer look at the most common club sandwich family dynamics and how caregiving responsibilities are typically managed, according to Ryan:
1. Command center
In this club sandwich family structure, a single adult, usually between the ages of 45 to 60, acts as the family CEO by orchestrating all household, family and caregiving responsibilities across the multiple generations. For example, they simultaneously manage toddler schedules, parent medical appointments, grandparent medication routines and time with their spouse.
2. Rotation
In a rotation structure, multiple members of the club sandwich generation share carefully developed and managed responsibilities across generations. Here’s what a rotation may look like: Sunday Aunt Sarah helps prepare meals for the week, Monday is Mom’s day for grandpa’s dialysis after work and Tuesday is Dad’s day for kids’ soccer and grandma’s physical therapy.
3. Crisis-triggered
When a medical emergency, job loss or housing crisis suddenly forces everyone together, a club sandwich structure is considered crisis-triggered. In this instance, all family members who are of a capable age tend to work together to establish new rules and boundaries to manage immediate survival needs across multiple generations.
4. Stepwise transition
When care needs escalate, multiple generations can end up under one roof. For example, when a grandparent moves in temporarily after a health scare.
“As their needs increase, more family members often join the household to help,” Ryan says. “Unlike crisis-triggered families, this develops slowly as everyone adapts to increasing care requirements across generations.”
5. Boomerang
Adult children who return home due to divorce, job loss, health issues or economic setbacks create a “reverse” club sandwich family dynamic.
“Parents thought their caregiving years were over,” Ryan says. “They now find themselves supporting both returning adult children and their own aging parents simultaneously.”
“Club sandwich caregivers orchestrate complex situations where one person’s emergency can trigger a domino effect across multiple generations. When grandma falls, it simultaneously affects dad’s work schedule, mom’s child care arrangements, the teenager’s college plans and the household’s financial stability.”
— Sue Ryan, TEDx speaker, author and co-founder of The Caregiver’s Journey
The unique challenges of the club sandwich generation
Traditional sandwich generation stress is already no joke due to the fundamental challenges of balancing two distinct dependent groups. But when you add another group to the mix? One hiccup can create a cascading crisis effect since club sandwich families are so interconnected.
“Club sandwich caregivers orchestrate complex situations where one person’s emergency can trigger a domino effect across multiple generations,” Ryan says. “When grandma falls, it simultaneously affects dad’s work schedule, mom’s child care arrangements, the teenager’s college plans and the household’s financial stability.”
But the experts we spoke to agree that challenges faced by the club sandwich generation unfortunately extend far beyond life disruptions and financial hardship.
“The main adult caretakers are very responsible and great multitaskers, but are often exhausted,” Legare says, which puts the sandwich generation at a higher risk for caregiver burnout. Specifically, as caregivers manage more responsibilities and complex family relationships across generations, they often end up sacrificing their own mental health and even physical health needs.
“The sandwich generation caregiver becomes expert at managing everyone else’s medical needs — while neglecting their own,” Ryan says. “Sadly, the people who have become most skilled at coordinating healthcare are becoming sick members of their own families, creating a cascade where the family’s primary caregiver now becomes a care receiver.”
How the club sandwich generation can capitalize on the benefits of multigenerational living
Despite the challenges, multigenerational living does have positive aspects. First, it provides built-in support systems that reduce social isolation which is why we saw them increase during the pandemic. “It began as crisis management, but has become a source of financial strength, shared support, and family connection,” Ryan says.
However, the biggest benefit of being a part of the club sandwich generation is likely still the financial aspect of it, according to Legare. “Families save a lot if they’re living under one roof, especially if those who can pitch in help with the costs.”
With these benefits in mind, experts offer these few tips to the club sandwich generation when it comes to finding support navigating multigenerational living:
Explore paid family leave programs and resources
Many companies provide support and guidance for families navigating the complexities of caregiving and major life transitions. Ryan recommends researching your eligibility for Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) benefits as well as state Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs).
Hire an elder law attorney
Club sandwich families should have important documents in order for members of every generation to mitigate complications in the case of a crisis, Ryan says. She recommends consulting with an elder law attorney to get things in order.
Seek out a support group
Many communities have local caregiving support groups which can be especially helpful for sandwich generations. “The Alzheimer’s Association also has a 24/7 helpline and access to support groups across diagnoses,” Ryan says.
Foster family bonds
“Engaging children and getting support for them is also important,” Ryan says. Here are ways to help promote bonding between young children and seniors to support a club sandwich family dynamic.
The club sandwich generation, which cares for three or more generations, is an extreme example of the increasing demands on caregivers. As multigenerational living becomes more of a necessary shift for many American families, finding support is key to reap the benefits of increased family connections without risking caregiver burnout.
