My dad is in senior living. As a single, working mom, I couldn't "do it all" and care for him and my mom.
A working mother shares her personal struggle with balancing the care of her aging parents alongside her career and raising children. The story highlights the decline of multi-generational living and the challenges of navigating long-term care in the modern U.S.
Why it matters
The 'sandwich generation' faces increasing pressure as the cost of care and the demands of modern work-life balance collide, reflecting a broader societal shift in elder care.
Shifali Erasmus with her father, Desmond. Courtesy of Shifali Erasmus Shifali Erasmus hoped she'd be able to become a full-time carer of her parents as they age. She came from a South Asian background where multi-generational living is relatively common. But Erasmus knew she couldn't be a single mom, stay in her job, and work as a carer all at once. This story is based on an interview with Shifali Erasmus, 46, a vice-president at a PR agency, from the San Francisco Bay Area. It has been edited for length and clarity. I'm a single mom and live with my teenage sons in an apartment, 20 miles from the home my parents had owned for 40 years. It's a different setup from when I was a child, when there were around 12 family members living on the same property.
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