You Drop the Kids at School.
You Call Mum to Check She's Okay.
You Go to Work.
You Forget About Yourself.
If this sounds like your life, you're part of Australia's “sandwich generation” — an estimated 1.5 million people squeezed between caring for children and ageing parents, often while holding down a full-time job.
Source: Australian Seniors Series Sandwich Generation Report, 2025
What Nobody Tells You About the Sandwich Generation
The term sounds almost whimsical — like a particularly full club sandwich. The reality is anything but. It's the 6am alarm to make school lunches, followed by the anxious call to check if Dad took his heart medication. It's the meeting you have to duck out of because the hospital rang. It's the weekend you planned for the kids' birthday party but spent on a 4-hour drive to fix Mum's broken heater.
The Australian Bureau of Statistics estimates that sandwich generation carers spend an average of 12 hours per week on eldercare tasks, on top of the 20+ hours of parenting and 38+ hours of paid work. That's a 70-hour week before you count housework, cooking, or anything resembling rest.
The Guilt Trap
The cruelest part isn't the workload — it's the guilt. You feel guilty about not visiting Mum more often. You feel guilty about missing your daughter's netball game. You feel guilty about being impatient with your partner. You feel guilty about being resentful. And then you feel guilty about feeling guilty.
61% of sandwich carers report that providing companionship to their ageing parent is their most time-consuming caregiving responsibility. Not medical care, not cooking meals — just being present.
Five Strategies That Actually Help
Stop Being the Single Point of Contact
If you're the only person calling Mum every day, you will burn out. It's not a matter of if, but when. Build redundancy: a daily AI companion call covers the days you can't ring; a neighbour checks in visually; a council visitor comes weekly.
The goal isn't to replace your relationship — it's to ensure your parent has multiple points of daily contact, so the entire weight doesn't fall on you.
Access Every Entitlement
Many sandwich generation carers are paying out-of-pocket for services that the government will fund. The new Support at Home program and AT-HM scheme can cover technology, monitoring, domestic help, and more.
Also check: Carer Allowance ($153.30/fortnight), Carer Payment (income-tested), employer carer's leave entitlements, and the Carer Gateway (1800 422 737) for free coaching and respite.
Separate “Quality Time” from “Duty Time”
When your only contact with your parent is the daily “are you okay?” call, every conversation becomes a welfare check. If someone (or something) else handles the daily safety monitoring, your calls with Mum can go back to being about her — her stories, her day, her grandchildren. The relationship improves when you're not always the worried checker.
Involve Siblings (Even Reluctant Ones)
If you have siblings, the care load often falls disproportionately on one person (usually the closest geographically, usually a daughter). Have an explicit conversation about dividing responsibilities — financial contributions, admin tasks, visit schedules.
For siblings who can't be physically present, they can take on: managing appointments, researching services, handling finances, or funding a check-in service.
Protect Your Own Health
Carer burnout is a medical condition, not a character flaw. Signs include: persistent exhaustion, feeling resentful toward the person you're caring for, inability to enjoy things you used to, physical symptoms (headaches, insomnia, digestive issues), and withdrawal from your own social life.
If you recognise these signs: Call the Carer Gateway (1800 422 737) for free counselling. Talk to your GP. This is not optional self-care — it's preventing your own health crisis.
One Less Thing on Your Plate
We built Kindly Call specifically for families like yours. A warm AI voice calls your parent every morning — chats about their day, asks about their health, reminds them about medication, and sends you a quick summary of how they're doing.
It doesn't replace you. It gives you the confidence that someone has “seen” your parent today, so you can focus on your kids, your work, and your own wellbeing without the background anxiety.
“I used to rush my call with Mum into my lunch break every day. Now Kindly Call chats with her in the morning, and I call her on weekends for a real conversation. The guilt has halved.”
— Sarah M., Melbourne (caring for mother, 79)
Support Resources for Carers
Carer Gateway
Free counselling, coaching, emergency respite, peer support groups for family carers.
1800 422 737
My Aged Care
Government-funded aged care services, assessments, and Support at Home program.
1800 200 422
Beyond Blue
Mental health support for carers experiencing anxiety, depression, or burnout.
1300 22 4636
Dementia Australia
Specialist support for families caring for someone with dementia.
1800 100 500
Give Them Connection. Give Yourself Peace of Mind.
Start your free 14-day trial today. No credit card required.
Start Free Trial