Published July 01 2025
Have you been hearing the term 'Sandwich Generation' popping up in the media lately?
It refers to people who are caring for elderly parents or relatives while also raising their own children or grandchildren. They're "sandwiched" between two generations who depend on them for support. And as our population ages, there are more and more carers who are feeling the weight of this dual responsibility.
The Sandwich Generation Report 2025 was conducted by Australian Seniors Research which surveyed 4,500 Australians to understand the unique challenges facing ‘sandwich carers’ and the effect on their physical, mental, social and financial wellbeing.
According to the report, on average, carers are spending about 15 hours per week on unpaid care for ageing parents, and another 15 hours for children, leaving less than 10 hours for personal care. It also reveals that 9 in 10 carers have experienced burnout, with sleep issues and emotional and physical exhaustion among the top symptoms, which are more common amongst women.
It’s a challenging and taxing role but carers should know they are not alone. There is free support available to carers through Carer Gateway, led by Holstep Health in Victoria, designed to reduce stress and help carers avoid burnout.
As part of ABC’s spotlight on The Care Squeeze, Holstep Health’s Heleni Bagiartakis, Executive Director of Client Services, and a carer herself, spoke with Sandra Moon on ABC Goulburn Murray Breakfast about her experience as a carer and the support Carer Gateway offers.
“I have had a very long caring role for a range of people in my family,” explains Heleni. “I also belong to the sandwich generation. I look after my mother, who was recently diagnosed with Parkinson's and is becoming frail.”
“It's not easy. It is a bit of a labour of love and there are times where that responsibility absolutely gets the best of you,” she admits.
“The caring role is, in fact, so unique that — it sounds very cliché — but to find your tribe, to be able to sit down with somebody who absolutely understands and knows what it feels like, deeply feels like, to be in the role of a carer and feel stuck, feel compelled by feelings of grief, loss and guilt, and constantly putting yourself last, is what carers primarily reach out to Carer Gateway for support for.”
If you support a family member, partner or friend who has a disability, a health condition, mental illness or is frail due to age — you are a carer. And you don’t have to do it alone. Call Carer Gateway on 1800 422 737 or visit carergateway.org.au to learn more about the free support and services available to you.