The Sandwich Generation:

For People Who Must Parent Their Children and Their Parents

Talk About It: Has your family discussed end-of-life issues? If not, you aren't alone.  AARP conducted a study of 1,431 people ages 30-64 living in a multigenerational household early in 2001. About 32 percent of the children said they don't discuss end-of-life issues, while 36 percent of the parents said they didn't. But waiting to discuss these important issues can make them harder to deal with when the time comes.

Visit the Federal Consumer Information Center for free information on estate planning and other end-of-life issues, or call toll-free 1 (888) 878-3256, weekdays 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET and ask for "Your Will and Estate" package, or send your name and address to Your Will and Estate, Pueblo, Colorado 81009.

Dehydration: Did you know that seniors are at greater risk for dehydration? They tend to drink too much coffee and tea -- which are dehydrators -- and often forget to drink enough water. See the Safer Child Dehydration page for more.

Addiction and Overprescription: Seniors also are at greater risk for overuse of drugs and/or addiction to prescription medication, say some experts. Drugs commonly abused by seniors fall into the category of benzodiazepines (Valium, Librium, Xanax, Halcion, and ProSom). The National Institute on Drug Abuse recommends limits on the use of these drugs because of the risk of addiction. For more on overprescription or addiction, check out the National Institute on Drug Abuse, the National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information, and the National Council on Patient Information and Education.

Volunteering: Seniors are a particularly valuable resource in the volunteer community. Their time, caring, expertise and life experiences are appreciated in daycares, schools, hospitals, veterans homes, universities, small businesses, community organizations and community improvement projects -- to just name a few. Children especially can benefit from having a surrogate "grandma" or "grandpa," so volunteering in daycares, schools and children's hospitals can be very rewarding for seniors.

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