Lessons Learned in the Sandwich

In this personal account of caring for an aging father until his death in her home, the author reflects on the personal and professional challenges of being a “sandwich-generation” professional social worker. Both the poignant rewards and stresses of caretaking are described, as are the conflict and confluence of professional and personal roles. The ironies of appearing competent in the professional role while feeling overwhelmed in one's personal life and the need for support from professional colleagues are elaborated on, with concluding comments concerning future challenges and lessons to be learned.