“If
your
kids
—
including
adult
children
—
still
need
you
at
the
same
time
your
aging
parents
need
support,
you’re
likely
part
of
the
sandwich
generation,”
the
entry
reads.
“Many
adults,
particularly
those
in
their
40s,
50s,
and
60s,
find
themselves
giving
time,
mental
and
physical
energy,
and
often
financial
resources
to
support
the
generations
above
and
below
them,
leaving
themselves
sandwiched
in
the
middle.”

The
entry
includes
information
on
how
older
loved
ones
may
choose
to
navigate
financial
challenges
in
later
life,
including
through
the
deployment
of
their

home
equity.
Since
there
are
seniors
who
may
need
financial
support
from
their
children
to
make
ends
meet,
considering
a
personal
budget
from
all
angles
is
important.

“You
must
consider
your
own
budget
and

retirement
savings
as
you
spend
money
to
help
your
parents,”
the
entry
said.
“Before
you
dip
into
your
own
savings,
make
sure
you’ve
explored
all
aid
options,
including
Medicare,
private
insurance
policies,
and
their
assets.
If
your
parents
have
equity
in
a
home,
they
might
consider
tapping
into
it
via
a

home
equity
line
of
credit
or
a

reverse
mortgage.”

A
survey
published
last
year
by

Realtor.com
found
that
members
of
the
sandwich
generation
were
split
on
whether
serving
in
a
dual-caregiver
role

helped
or
hindered
their
own
ability
to
buy
a
home.

Some
aging
advocates
also
say
that
older
Americans
have
the
potential
to

become
their
adult
children’s
biggest
expense
in
the
coming
years.
And
a

2023
survey
by
CNBC
found
that
56%
of
Americans
feel
they
are
not
on
track
to
retire
comfortably.

This
lack
of
assurance
in
their
own
retirement
security
means
that
younger
generations
are
often
unprepared
to
assume
any
position
of
support
for
their
parents,
according
to
Sarita
Mohanty,
president
and
CEO
of
elder
financial
advocacy
organization The
SCAN
Foundation.

“Something
has
to
give,”
Mohanty
said.
“If
you’re
in
the
sandwich
generation
–
Gen
X
and
older
millennials
–
and
want
to
share
in
the
responsibility
for
their
parents’
retirement,
you
should
begin
by
thinking
of
your
parents’
retirement
plans
in
the
context
of
your
own.”

A
story
late
last
year
in
the
Boston
Globe
suggested
that
Gen
X
homebuyers
should
focus
on
fashioning
homes
for

aging
in
place.
This
could
benefit
both
themselves
as
well
as
any
older
family
members
that
may
be
living
with
them.