05/04/2026

ON SUNDAY April 5, 2026 theSunday Special III

When guilt becomes overwhelming

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The burden you feel today, would you want your children to experience the same?”

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THE term Sandwich Generation typi cally refers to working adults who are financially and emotionally responsible for both their ageing parents and their own children. In its original form, or what many now call Sandwich Generation 1.0, this responsibility often fell to a single primary caregiver, usually the eldest child or a son. Parents commonly lived under the same roof and caregiving costs were absorbed informally within the household. Financial planning was rarely dis cussed openly. Support was driven by duty, cultural expectations and family hierarchy rather than shared agree ments or structured budgets. Today’s urban realities have re shaped this model. Smaller homes, dual-income households, rising health care costs and longer life expectancy have given rise to Sandwich Generation 2.0, where caregiving responsibilities are increasingly shared, negotiated and financially coordinated among siblings. Understanding this shift helps explain why modern families are rethinking not just how they care, but how they plan. What is Sandwich Generation 1.0?

Open communication and clear budgeting help prevent resentment among siblings.