Based on what I have learned this semester, I think being a Sandwich Generator is the most challenging challenge for Americans and their families. A sandwich maker is a person who takes care of an elderly parent/relative and children or anyone who acts as a dual person taking care of them, be it parents, grandparents and children. The sandwich generation not only has to deal with parents who need daily assistance and have to raise money for bills, but they also have to take care of their children/family, resulting in a lack of balance in the rest of their lives such as work, time free , and encounters that perform the ultimate juggling act. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay As seniors age and need someone to help them with tasks they can no longer do on their own, such as eating, bathing, or going to the bathroom, seniors become forgetful, slower, and hard of hearing. Sandwich Generationers usually accompany their parents in these tasks, but this also becomes overwhelming, resulting in expensive nursing homes, assisted living, and medical care. 68% of family caregivers provided financial support, 41% changed work hours, and 13% resigned from jobs and careers to meet needs (Eisenberg). With longer life expectancy for elderly parents and grandparents, more intensive care follows earlier than previous generations. 31.2% of adult students live at home once they complete college (Dickler). Since it is difficult to find work because you do not have the required experience and education beyond a bachelor's degree, it is difficult for younger generations to live on their own. Homecoming is known to be the best option for students because it gives them a great opportunity to pay off student loans and build emergency funds while still being able to live in a stable home. Letting the Sandwich generators, also known as their parents, pay for things like phone bills, utilities, food supplies and subscription services. Many adult children still rely heavily on their parents' help with expenses. This does not include young children under the age of 18 or parents aged 35 or over. In the book “Families as They Are” Elizabeth Gregory states in her article that 1 in 7 children will be born to women aged 35 or older (Risman & Rutter). I think this is worse for the pocket if the sandwich maker is already a parent's caregiver and starts a family a little later than the norm right in the middle of it all. Whereas if a parent does not receive Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) nutrition services, they must pay for formula and adequate nutrition which is expensive, especially if they do not choose to breastfeed or cannot apply for government food resources. Then there are school-age children who need help with homework and after-school/extracurricular activities to participate in. School supplies, clothes, shoes, etc. These are things that school-age children need, as well as time and attention. The sandwich generations feel they hold some sort of expectation. The costs of caring for both the elderly and the young have increased and will only continue to increase in future sandwich generations. Busy activities, travel, transportation, entertainment, media and medical finances cost money and lots of it. These finances will begin to separate families from each other. Cutting money from one side and investing it in another trying to make it all work. 62% of caregivers said they had to choose between spending time with.