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sandwich generation
noun
: a generation of people who are caring for their aging parents while supporting their own children
Examples of sandwich generation in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Many members of Gen X find themselves in the sandwich generation, or simultaneously supporting children (some of whom are adults themselves) and parents.
—Gregory Schmidt, New York Times, 6 Apr. 2024
This will boil over as baby boomers age and the sandwich generation, caring for multiple family members at once, grows.
—Dawn Huckelbridge, Glamour, 9 Apr. 2024
Boomers once felt a similar squeeze, but now only 5% qualify for the title of sandwich generation, compared to a third of Gen X survey respondents.
—Chloe Berger, Fortune, 27 Feb. 2024
As a sandwich generation caregiver in the 1980s, Smith was raising her three children while also caring for her mom, whose cognitive health deteriorated while living with a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease.
—Lauren J. Mapp, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Nov. 2023
For the sandwich generation, senior resources can make all the difference in a community.
—Byalexa Mikhail, Fortune Well, 14 June 2023
For years, the term sandwich generation has generally been applied to adults (mostly women) taking care of their aging parents and their minor children at the same time.
—Elizabeth Chang, Washington Post, 22 Mar. 2023
More companies expanded benefits to better support the sandwich generation—those caring for both children and elderly parents.
—Paolo Confino, Fortune, 14 Dec. 2022
Providing a modern package of benefits that acknowledges caregivers in the workforce, especially sandwich generation employees (those taking care of both children and parents), will prevent many workers from having to choose between caring for a loved one and staying on the job.
—Elana Berkowitz, Fortune, 23 Feb. 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'sandwich generation.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1975, in the meaning defined above
Time Traveler
The first known use of sandwich generation was
in 1975
Articles Related to sandwich generation
Dictionary Entries Near sandwich generation
Cite this Entry
“Sandwich generation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sandwich%20generation. Accessed 10 Jun. 2024.
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