Sandwich Generation new Social Care Customer

You’ve done the sports drop off and now have less than 2 hours to maneuver through Sydney’s Saturday morning traffic to pick up your 80 year old mum who needs to go grocery shopping. Of course she said she didn’t need a service when the hospital social worker was planning her discharge. “…My daughter can do all that for me…”

I never quite appreciated the term “sandwich generation”. But I get it now and I am not alone. It is difficult to negotiate the social care sector with a parent or parents who are unwilling users of care and support. It can be a challenge to manage your parents own resistance to acknowledging they need care (or a little help around the house).

This time poor, articulate and focused sandwich generation is the new social care customer. They are busy and want the best for their older person. They want timely advice and need to trust that service know what they are doing.

Social care organisations need to know that this new type of customer will likely be female, about 50 years old, in full time work and have a growing family. She is likely connected and will use her lived experience to influence other’s choices. She will want the best for your older person and she will be your most valuable marketing tool for the future.

How ready is your organisation to engage and support someone like her?