People caring for older and younger relatives at higher risk of mental illness

‘Sandwich generation’ who simultaneously care for different generations are more likely to report anxiety or depression

More than a million people who are caring for children and older relatives are at a significantly higher risk of mental health problems and are more likely to be struggling for money than the general population, official data has revealed.

The so-called “sandwich generation” who find themselves squeezed between older and younger dependents, now accounts for 1.3 million people, according to the Office for National Statistics. It found that the more care people give to both older and younger relatives simultaneously, the more likely they are to report symptoms of mental ill health.

Related: ‘Caring for my elderly parent from afar risks turning him into the child’

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from Children | The Guardian http://bit.ly/2ClP8FL