Sandwich Generation Support
A Guide to Caring for Ageing Parents & Supporting Your Family
Caring for an ageing parent while raising children or supporting adult children is more common than most people realise. It is also more work than it looks from the outside, and most of that work is invisible.
This guide explains what the sandwich generation is, what sandwich generation support is available in Australia, what it costs families and what to do first.
Jump to the section you need
- What Is the Sandwich Generation?
- Who Is the Sandwich Generation?
- Are You Part of the Sandwich Generation?
- What Responsibilities Do Sandwich Generation Carers Manage?
- The Biggest Challenges Facing the Sandwich Generation
- How to Support Ageing Parents Without Doing Everything Yourself
- Government and Centrelink Support
- Managing the Financial Costs of Caring
- Sharing Caregiving Responsibilities with Siblings
- Looking After Your Own Health and Wellbeing
- Creating a Sandwich Generation Family Care Plan
- When Your Parent’s Care Needs Change
- Caring for an Ageing Parent From a Distance
- Sandwich Generation Statistics in Australia
- Resources for the Sandwich Generation
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Sources and Methodology
The sandwich generation refers to adults who care for an ageing parent while also raising children or supporting adult children. Australia does not publish an official count of the sandwich generation. However, longer lives and changing family patterns can mean that support for older and younger relatives overlaps for many families. Separate 2025 research on Australians aged over 50 found sandwich generation carers reporting more than 30 hours a week of unpaid care on top of paid work. Some families may be eligible for government support they are not currently receiving.
Key Takeaways
About 1.05 million Australian carers were aged 35 to 54 in 2022, although caring responsibilities extend well beyond this age group.
There is no single Centrelink payment for the sandwich generation. Several separate supports exist, including Carer Payment, Carer Allowance and Carer Gateway, and families often miss some of them.
For many families, requesting a free My Aged Care assessment is a practical first step towards understanding the support available. If there is an immediate medical or safety emergency, contact a health professional or 000 instead.
Separate 2025 research on Australians aged over 50 found sandwich generation carers reporting more than 30 hours a week of unpaid care, in addition to paid work.
Practical Resources for Your Family
Aged Care Provider Checklist
A checklist covering what to ask providers, what to listen for, and how to compare answers.
Family Care Responsibilities Planner
A simple planner to map who does what, and where the gaps are.
Aged Care Planning Guide
A step-by-step guide to help your family create a shared care plan.
What is the Sandwich Generation?
The sandwich generation refers to adults who are caring for an older parent at the same time as they’re raising children or supporting adult children. Typically in their 40s to 60s, they may be balancing the practical, emotional and financial needs of two generations alongside work, relationships and their own wellbeing, which is why finding the right sandwich generation support can be important.
For many people, this role develops gradually. A parent may start needing help with appointments, bills or everyday tasks, while children still need care, financial support or a place to live. You may not think of yourself as a carer. You may simply feel like you are doing what your family needs.
This can look different from one family to the next. Some people are raising children or supporting adult children, while others are grandparents caring for grandchildren as they help an ageing parent or parent-in-law.
In August 2026 we surveyed our subscribers about this experience. Of the 1,639 people who responded, 1,027 were currently supporting both an older relative and children, adult children or grandchildren. Of those, 270 were helping a parent or parent-in-law at the same time as a grandchild. Because participation was voluntary and everyone who took part is already in contact with us, the results describe the people who answered rather than how common this arrangement is across Australia. We refer to their responses throughout this guide.
Some families experience an added layer of caring. The term club sandwich generation is sometimes used for people supporting three or more generations at once, such as an ageing parent, an adult child and a grandchild.
There is no single age, family structure or amount of care that defines the sandwich generation. What matters is that you are supporting more than one generation at once, often while their needs compete for your time, energy and attention.
Who is the Sandwich Generation?
There is no single profile of a sandwich generation carer. You may be raising young children, helping adult children who have moved back home, or caring for grandchildren while supporting an ageing parent or parent-in-law. The role can begin in midlife, but it can continue well beyond it.
Women are more likely to carry the heaviest caring responsibilities. Australian Bureau of Statistics data shows that two-thirds of Australia’s primary carers are women. Between the ages of 35 and 44, female primary carers outnumber male primary carers by more than four to one: 156,000 women compared with 38,900 men.
Australian National Carer Profile
1.05 million
Australian carers aged 35 to 54
1 in 5
Women aged 45 to 54 providing unpaid care
2 in 3
Primary carers who are women
4 times
More female than male primary carers aged 35 to 44
Separate research into sandwich generation carers aged over 50 suggests the work may also be divided differently. Women reported spending more hours on care each week, while men were more likely to provide financial support to their parents.
Older carers belong in this picture too. Of the 270 survey respondents helping a parent or parent-in-law alongside a grandchild, 255 (94.4%) were aged 55 or over: 131 people (48.5%) were aged 65 or over, and 124 (45.9%) were aged 55 to 64. They show that the sandwich generation is not limited to parents in their 40s and 50s.
Grandparent care is an important part of family life for many Australians. The 2025 Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) report found that 29% of families with children who are not yet at school used grandparent care in 2023. Among families using it, children spent an average of 11.8 hours a week with their grandparents.
Many people in this role do not use the word “carer”. In our survey, 66.6% of people supporting both generations said they considered themselves a carer. Another 18.5% said they had not thought of themselves that way, 9.2% said no and 5.7% were unsure.
That means nearly one in three people doing this work may not identify with the label. Recognising the role is important, as it is the first step towards finding support for carers, not only for the person you care for. Depending on your circumstances, this may include Carer Payment, Carer Allowance or support through Carer Gateway.
You do not need to provide hands-on personal care to be a carer. Helping with appointments, paperwork, transport, decisions, money or emotional support can all be part of caring.
“Almost nobody rings us and says they’re a carer. They say they’re just helping Mum out a bit. Then you go through what their week actually looks like and it’s appointments, medications, the shopping and four calls to My Aged Care. The word matters, because the support that’s available is attached to it.”
Are You Part of the Sandwich Generation?
Caring across generations does not always look like caring. It can be the phone calls, the paperwork, the school pickup you reorganise around an appointment, or the feeling that you are the person everyone turns to when something needs sorting out.
You may be helping an ageing parent with practical tasks, emotional support or money, while your children or adult children still rely on you in their own ways. For grandparents, the overlap can look different again: caring for grandchildren while also helping an ageing parent or parent-in-law.
The role often develops gradually. One appointment becomes a regular commitment. A few calls to providers turn into managing the family’s information. You may not be providing hands-on personal care, but you can still be carrying a large share of the work.
Use this check-in to take stock of what an ordinary week looks like for you. Tick anything that applies. There is no pass mark and nothing is stored. Your result will highlight the part of caring that may be taking up the most room in your life, with a practical next step to explore.
What Responsibilities Do Sandwich Generation Carers Manage?
Supporting an ageing parent can involve much more than the tasks other people can see. There may be shopping, transport and appointments, but also phone calls, forms, bills, decisions and the reassurance a parent needs when something feels uncertain.
For sandwich generation carers, those responsibilities sit alongside the needs of children, adult children or grandchildren. You may be organising a specialist appointment around a school pickup, helping a parent with paperwork while supporting an adult child through a difficult patch, or trying to keep everyone’s plans moving when something changes at short notice.
In our survey, emotional support was the most common type of help provided by people supporting both generations, reported by 88.0%, followed closely by paperwork and administration at 85.9%. Managing appointments came next at 80.9%, and 76.3% said they communicated with aged care providers. Transport was reported by 73.9% of respondents, while just one in four provided personal care such as showering or dressing.
National research reflects this overlap too. HILDA data for Australians aged 18 to 64 shows that women spent an average of 8.8 hours a week caring for their own children and 1.9 hours caring for an older or disabled relative in 2022. For men, the averages were 4.5 hours caring for children and 1.1 hours caring for an older or disabled relative. These figures do not identify a separate sandwich generation group, but they show how care for children and older relatives can sit alongside each other in the same stage of life.
The support you provide often falls into four overlapping areas:
Practical Help
Supporting an Older Parent
Transport, shopping, meals, household tasks, medication pickups, appointments and help with everyday activities
Supporting Children or Family
School runs, meals, homework, childcare, lifts, household jobs or helping adult children manage day-to-day life
Emotional Support
Supporting an Older Parent
Regular check-ins, reassurance, talking through worries and helping a parent adjust to change
Supporting Children or Family
Being available for children, adult children or grandchildren while supporting them through their own worries, transitions and needs
Financial Support
Supporting an Older Parent
Contributing to bills, transport, medications, home help or other care costs
Supporting Children or Family
Covering household costs, education, childcare, rent, food or temporary help when an adult child is getting back on their feet
Coordination
Supporting an Older Parent
Contacting My Aged Care, GPs, pharmacists and providers; managing records, forms, appointments and family updates
Supporting Children or Family
Coordinating school, childcare, sports and activities, transport, household schedules and the wider family calendar
The categories overlap. A conversation about a parent’s bills may lead to a call to a provider, a discussion with siblings and a change to your own household budget. An appointment can mean rearranging work, school pickup or childcare.
You may not see all of this as “caring”, especially when it is simply part of what your family needs. But it can take planning, attention and headspace, particularly when the needs of two generations land at once.
The Biggest Challenges Facing the Sandwich Generation
Supporting family across generations can be loving and meaningful. It can also be difficult to find room for everyone’s needs, especially when a parent’s health changes, children need more from you, or work and family commitments are already full.
The hardest parts are not always the obvious ones. A hospital appointment can mean reorganising a workday. A fall can trigger weeks of phone calls and decisions. A small task, such as sorting out a bill or arranging transport, can take far more time than it appears to from the outside.
ACD SURVEY FINDING | SUPPORTING BOTH GENERATIONS
84.3% experienced stress or anxiety
70.9% reported fatigue · 66.4% disrupted sleep · 54.4% irritability · 48.2% guilt · 42.0% resentment
Only 2.9% said they experienced none of these.
Emotional pressure and guilt
When two generations need something on the same day, one of them has to wait. Which one is a call you make quickly, several times a week, usually without knowing how long either can reasonably hold on.
Guilt tends to appear when there’s no option that feels completely fair to everyone. It attaches to the choice, not to how much you’re doing, which is why it keeps returning even in weeks where nothing has gone wrong.
ACD SURVEY FINDING | SUPPORTING BOTH GENERATIONS
48.2%
reported guilt while supporting both generations
WHAT HELPS: Guilt usually attaches to one recurring commitment rather than to caring in general. Getting more support around that single thing does more than trying to do everything better.
COMPETING DEMANDS
Parent’s appointment
Rearrange work, organise transport and follow up.
School event or sick child
Change plans again or find another person to help
YOUR WEEK
Provider phone call
Answer questions, complete paperwork and make more calls
Fall or hospital visit
Make decisions, update family and respond quickly
One change can affect every other part of the week.
Time pressure and competing needs
The hours are not usually the difficulty. It’s being the person who has to decide, at short notice, what gives way. A specialist appointment gets offered for Tuesday morning, which is the same morning as the school assembly, and someone has to choose within about a minute of the phone call.
Those decisions are small enough individually that they don’t look like much from the outside. They accumulate anyway, because each one has to be made by you, and because every one of them changes something else in the week.
WHAT HELPS: Decide in advance who can take a school pickup or a hospital call at short notice. It’s a much easier conversation to have before you need it than during it.
Family time and relationships
Family plans are usually the first thing to move, because they’re the only commitments in the week that nobody outside the family is waiting on. An appointment gets rescheduled and someone at the practice notices. A weekend away gets postponed and nobody does.
That’s also what makes it hard to see how much has gone. There’s no record of the things that were quietly dropped, so a year can pass before anyone in the household says out loud that plans keep not happening.
WHAT HELPS: Make the caring tasks visible and use a family care plan to agree on what each person can realistically contribute.
ACD SURVEY FINDING | SUPPORTING BOTH GENERATIONS
56.0% had less family time overall
55.4% missed an event, activity or milestone · 49.9% changed or cancelled holiday plans
Work and career
ACD SURVEY FINDING | SUPPORTING BOTH GENERATIONS
Only 7.6% said caring did not affect their job
48.8% reported reduced concentration · 43.4% had taken leave · 36.9% reduced their hours
Caring is mostly invisible at work. The appointments land during business hours, the calls to providers can’t be made at the weekend, and a hospital admission doesn’t give notice. What an employer sees is leave being used and hours being changed, without the reason attached.
Most of it never gets raised. There’s no obvious moment to bring it up, and the entitlements that exist are easy to miss if nobody points them out.
WHAT HELPS: You may be able to use carer’s leave or request flexible working arrangements. Both are entitlements rather than favours, and a request can be made in writing at any time.
Taking some of it off your plate
Not all of this has to sit with you. Some of it can move to a sibling, a friend, a paid service or a support you already qualify for. None of that needs the whole arrangement worked out first.
One specific job handed over does more than a general offer of help. Whoever takes it doesn’t need the background you’re carrying. The rest is about getting support in place around you. That’s a different thing from finding more hours in the week.
WHAT HELPS: Name a back-up person while things are steady. Someone who knows where the medication list is and which provider to call is worth more than someone who has offered to help in general.
A PRACTICAL FIRST STEP
Pick one to start with this week.
Ask someone to take a specific task
Book a GP appointment
Contact Carer Gateway
Consider booking respite
How to Support Ageing Parents Without Doing Everything Yourself
Many families do not start looking for formal support until something forces the issue. In our survey, 17.2% had sought help before there was an urgent need, while 24.9% started after a fall or hospital stay.
The delay is not about a lack of care or effort. For 39.2% of respondents, the main reason was that their parent did not want help. Of those families, 42.4% said their parent wanted to remain independent and 30.3% said their parent did not think they needed help. Others pointed to the system itself: 10.9% found aged care too complicated and 10.7% did not know what support was available. Only 3.7% felt extremely confident navigating the aged care system.
But you do not need to have every answer before you begin. Support is available to help you understand the options and work out what to do next.
ACD SURVEY FINDING | ACTING MAKES A DIFFERENCE
17.2%
had sought formal support before there was an urgent need.
24.9%
first sought formal support after a fall or hospital stay.
01 · START WITH TODAY
Understand what is changing
Work out what is actually needed
Start with the things your parent cannot safely manage on their own, then look at the things they would prefer help with. Both matter, but the first will help you work out what level of support may be needed.
Sort urgent from not urgent
A fall, medication problem or sudden change in your parent’s health needs attention now. A conversation about future care, finances or where they might live can usually happen over time.
Register with My Aged Care and request an assessment
The assessment is free and is the first step towards government-funded aged care.
FREE PLANNING TOOL
Start with a clearer picture of your parent’s needs
The Ageing Parent Care Needs Checklist gives families one place to record what is changing, what support is already in place and what still needs sorting out.
02 · BRING IN SUPPORT
Share the load and explore options
Understand the Single Assessment System (SAS)
A free aged care assessment is the starting point. It helps identify which support may suit your parent.
Learn about the Single Assessment System →
Look at Support at Home first
Many people can continue living at home with the right help in place. This may include personal care, meals, transport, nursing, allied health or help around the house.
Learn about Support at Home →
Plan respite early
Respite gives you a planned break while your parent receives care from someone else. If needs change, the same pathway can also help explore residential aged care.
Learn about respite care →
IMPORTANT TIMING
56 days
Once Support at Home funding is allocated, your parent generally has 56 days to sign a service agreement and start services. A 28-day extension may be available if they need more time.
“Families that start thinking about aged care early will find themselves less stressed, more prepared and with more options. The later you start the discussion, the more stress and fewer options you have.”
03 · MAKE IT SUSTAINABLE
Prepare for changes and share information
Compare providers properly
To compare aged care providers, look at location, fees, availability and when services can actually begin. Ask whether the provider can deliver the particular help your parent needs, not only whether they have a place available.
Make a back-up plan
Decide who can step in if you are unwell, away or simply need a break. Keep important contacts, medications and key information somewhere another person can find them.
Discuss residential care early
It may not be the right option for your parent now, or at all. But it is much easier to have the conversation before a hospital stay or sudden change leaves everyone making decisions under pressure.
FREE INDEPENDENT HELP
Get Your Free Aged Care Options Report
Tell us what care your parent needs, where they want to live and what matters most to your family. We will compare suitable Support at Home and residential aged care providers, including services, locations and current vacancies where relevant.
Use the report to make your own decision. There is no cost and no obligation to choose a provider.
Your options report can help you compare
Suitable Providers
Options matched to care needs, location and preferences
Current Information
Services, availability and vacancies checked with providers
Free and Independent
No cost to your family and no obligation to proceed
Government and Centrelink Sandwich Generation Support
Supporting an ageing parent can affect how much paid work you can do and add new costs to your household budget. There is no Centrelink payment specifically for people in the sandwich generation, but you may qualify for support depending on the care you provide and your financial circumstances.
Carer Payment, Carer Allowance and Carer Supplement provide different types of support. Eligibility is based on factors such as the needs of the person you care for, the amount of care you provide, your income and, for some payments, your assets. These payments are separate from the aged care services your parent may receive through My Aged Care.
Financial support for carers
The three main Centrelink payments for carers work differently. Some provide income support, while others supplement your existing income or are paid annually. Receiving one payment does not necessarily mean you will receive another.
Information current at September 2026. Being part of the sandwich generation does not itself create entitlement to these payments — eligibility depends on your individual circumstances, so check current rates and rules on Services Australia.
Carer Payment
Means-tested income support for people who provide constant care.
Carer Allowance
A supplementary payment for ongoing daily care and attention
Carer Supplement
An annual extra payment for eligible carer-payment recipients
Carer Payment
Income support
The Carer Payment is the main income-support payment for carers. It is for people whose caring role means they cannot work full-time or earn a regular income in the usual way.
You may be eligible if you provide constant care to someone who is frail aged or has a disability or medical condition. “Constant care” generally means providing care for roughly the equivalent of a normal working day. The person you care for must also meet eligibility requirements.
The Carer Payment is income and assets tested. Services Australia considers the financial circumstances of both you and the person you care for, so eligibility depends on more than the amount of care you provide. The maximum rate for a single person is currently $1,200.90 a fortnight, including the Pension Supplement and Energy Supplement.
Having a job does not automatically rule you out. You can do up to 100 hours of paid or self-employed work in a four-week period and still receive Carer Payment, provided you meet the other rules and continue to provide care for a significant part of each day. Travel to and from work, study, training and volunteering do not count towards the 100-hour limit.
The Carer Payment is taxable if either you or the person you care for is of Age Pensionable age or older.
Carer Allowance
Supplementary payment
The Carer Allowance is an extra payment for carers, not an income-replacement payment. It recognises the ongoing daily care and attention you provide, but it does not require you to have stopped or substantially reduced paid work.
You may be eligible if you provide ongoing daily care to someone who is frail aged or has a disability or medical condition. The person you care for must meet the relevant eligibility requirements.
The Carer Allowance can be paid alongside wages, the Age Pension or Carer Payment. This makes it a more realistic option for many people who are combining caring with employment or receiving another income-support payment.
The payment is currently $162.60 a fortnight. There is no assets test. However, you and your partner’s combined adjusted taxable income must be under $250,000 a year. Carer Allowance is not taxable.
Carer Supplement
Annual payment
The Carer Supplement is an annual top-up, rather than a regular fortnightly payment. It provides up to $600 each year for every eligible payment you receive.
You do not need to apply for Carer Supplement separately. Centrelink usually pays it automatically in July if you receive Carer Payment or Carer Allowance on 1 July.
If you receive both Carer Payment and Carer Allowance, you may receive two Carer Supplements, up to $1,200 in total.
SUPPORT FOR YOU
Carer Gateway
Carer Gateway is free for people caring for a family member or friend who is frail due to age, or who has disability or a medical condition. It is for the carer, not the person receiving aged care.
It can connect you with counselling, coaching, peer support groups and practical information. It also offers tailored support packages, which may include equipment, planned respite or other practical help.
In our survey, 36.6% of people supporting both generations had never looked for information specifically for carers. Of those who had, 35.6% found it somewhat or extremely difficult to find. If nobody has pointed you towards support yet, you can make the first call yourself.
Carer Gateway is free
Call 1800 422 737 · Website →
WORK, LEAVE AND FLEXIBILITY
Your Rights at Work
Caring for a parent can involve short-notice appointments, hospital visits and days when plans change quickly. You may have options at work that are easy to overlook.
Full-time employees receive 10 days of paid personal/carer’s leave each year. Part-time employees receive it on a pro-rata basis. This is a combined entitlement, so sick leave and carer’s leave come from the same balance.
All employees, including casuals, can take two days of unpaid carer’s leave for each occasion when an immediate family or household member needs care because of illness, injury or an unexpected emergency. Full-time and part-time employees generally use this once their paid leave is exhausted.
You may also be able to request flexible working arrangements if you have worked with your employer for at least 12 months and are a carer under the Carer Recognition Act 2010. Casual employees may qualify if they have worked regularly and systematically for the same employer for 12 months and have a reasonable expectation of ongoing work. Make the request in writing, explain the change you are asking for and why you need it. Your employer must respond in writing within 21 days.
What this means
You may be able to use carer’s leave or request flexible working arrangements. Check your award, agreement or workplace policy.
SUPPORT FOR YOUR PARENT
My Aged Care, Support at Home and CHSP
My Aged Care is the starting point for government-funded aged care for your parent. It is separate from Centrelink payments for carers, although the two can sit alongside each other.
Support at Home provides coordinated support at home for older people with ongoing needs. The Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP) provides entry-level help, including domestic assistance, transport, meals and social support. CHSP will remain separate from Support at Home until 30 June 2029.
Aged Care Specialist Officer
Book a face-to-face appointment with My Aged Care.
Help your Parent prepare their assessment
Our My Aged Care Assessment Preparation Checklist gives you a place to note what is changing, what support is already in place and what you want to ask at the assessment.
Managing the Financial Costs of Caring
The financial side of caring does not always arrive as one large bill. It can be a run of smaller contributions, a few days of unpaid leave, hours reduced when something changes, or plans you keep putting off.
You may be helping with your parent’s groceries, medication, transport or care costs while still covering school expenses, rent or temporary support for an adult child. Over time, it can be difficult to see what your family is contributing, what support may be available and what is sustainable.
Financial pressure can come from more than one direction
Some costs are easy to see. Others build up quietly over time.
Where the financial pressure can show up
Costs can sit alongside each other. What you pay directly is only one part of the picture.
Direct Contributions
These are the costs you put towards a parent’s needs, or towards children or adult children. They can include bills, groceries, transport, medication, mobility equipment, home help, appointments and aged care fees.
Changes to income
Unpaid leave, reduced hours or turning down work opportunities can affect your household budget. The impact may be immediate, particularly when a parent’s needs change suddenly or care arrangements fall through.
Lower superannuation
Smaller contributions during the years you are caring are often felt later, at retirement. It is worth including your own savings, debt, housing plans and future goals when you look at what support is affordable.
The goals that can get pushed back
The larger cost can be the things that move further away. Caring can affect the plans you have for your own household, even when every contribution feels manageable at the time.
These findings are from the Aged Care Decisions Sandwich Generation Survey 2026.
64.8%
25.5%
24.7%
20.0%
Caring can affect earnings and super over time
Modelling prepared by Evaluate for Carers Australia estimated the following average impact for a carer by age 67:
$392,500
in forgone lifetime earnings
$175,000
in forgone superannuation
* These figures are estimates from a modelling exercise, calculated using the value of money in 2022. They are not survey results and cannot predict the financial impact on any individual family.
Make the costs visible
A simple note on your phone can be enough. Keep track of what you contribute, what your parent pays for themselves, and any costs you share with siblings or other family members.
It will not solve every difficult conversation, but it can give everyone a clearer picture of what is happening. It can also help when you are looking at a budget, considering aged care fees or talking with a financial adviser.
List regular costs
Record bills, transport, groceries, medication, care services and other costs that repeat.
Include one-off expenses
Note equipment, repairs, travel, hospital-related costs and time away from paid work.
Set out contributions
Write down who pays, how often they contribute and whether the arrangement can continue.
Include your own plans
Consider the effect on your savings, debt, super, housing and future goals.
Family contributions towards an older parent's aged care
When an older parent needs more support, families often help in different ways. That may include contributing towards aged care, transport, medication, meals, household help or other everyday costs. In our survey, the amount people contributed financially varied widely.
16.6%
said they made no personal contribution
39.1%
spent under $250 a month on an older relative
23.0%
spent between $250 and $999 a month
7.1%
spent $1,000 a month or more
These figures show what respondents said they contributed personally towards an older relative’s support. A further 14.2% preferred not to say, so the percentages describe what people were willing to disclose rather than the full picture. They also do not show the total cost of aged care or what an older parent may pay from their own income, savings or assets.
Make financial decisions with a clear picture
If you are contributing to a parent’s care, supporting an adult child or considering a family loan, try to agree on what is affordable, how long the support will last and whether it is a gift, a loan or help with everyday costs.
Aged care fees, Centrelink payments, the Age Pension and the family home can interact in different ways. If there are significant assets, a proposed family loan or a decision about selling a home, independent financial advice can help before money changes hands.
“The question that stalls families isn’t what aged care costs. It’s that nobody has asked Mum what she can pay, because it feels like asking about the will. So people start putting their own money in without anyone deciding that’s the arrangement. Six months later it’s just how things are.”
Understanding aged care costs
Two-thirds of the people we surveyed did not have a clear picture of what their parent might need to pay for aged care. A clearer understanding of the likely costs makes it easier to plan ahead, discuss contributions with family and decide what support to explore.
35.0%
said they understood what their parent might need to pay for aged care
38.9%
only partly understood
15.5%
said they did not understand
10.7%
had not looked into it yet
FREE PLANNING TOOL
See the full financial picture in one place
It can be hard to see the full picture when costs are spread across two generations. Our Sandwich Generation Budget Planner helps you set out regular costs, one-off expenses and the things you may be putting off.
This page provides general information only. It is not financial, legal or medical advice.
Sharing Caregiving Responsibilities with Siblings
When a parent needs more help, one person often becomes the one who takes the calls, keeps track of appointments and notices what needs doing next. It may happen gradually, without anyone deciding that this is how things will work.
ACD SURVEY FINDING | SHARED CARING RESPONSIBILITIES
64.7%
of people supporting both generations said responsibility was shared very or somewhat unevenly.
Only 23.9% described it as shared evenly.
Only 23.9% of the families in our survey described the responsibility as shared evenly, and 42.5% said it was shared very unevenly. Separate research commissioned by Australian Seniors found that around 55% of families had one sibling taking on more than the others.
Uneven care does not always mean a family is in conflict. One sibling may live closer, have more flexible time or be better placed to manage calls and paperwork. The difficulty comes when no one talks about the arrangement and it quietly becomes the default. The most helpful conversation is usually about what is happening now, what needs to change and what each person can realistically take on.
What families say would help
We asked what one thing would make sharing responsibilities easier. More involvement from siblings was the clear answer, chosen more than twice as often as anything else. Respite care, formal paid care and a written plan followed, with the remaining answers pointing to family meetings, shared calendars and outside mediation.
ACD SURVEY FINDING | SHARED CARING RESPONSIBILITIES
More sibling involvement
34.1% said this would make sharing responsibilities easier.
Respite care
14.6% said planned breaks would help their family.
Formal paid care
14.0% wanted more support around the family.
A written plan
12.4% wanted a clearer way to share what is already being done.
Make a plan for sharing care
Before deciding who should do more, write down what is actually being done. Include the jobs that are easy to miss: the phone calls, reminders, online forms, repeat prescriptions, provider follow-ups and family updates, as well as the visible tasks such as transport and appointments.
- Agree who will take the lead on each task. Avoid general promises to help. Decide who will manage particular jobs, such as booking appointments, following up providers or keeping family members updated.
- Choose a back-up person. Make sure someone else knows what to do if the person usually responsible is sick, away or overwhelmed.
- Think about different ways to contribute. A sibling who lives interstate may be able to research providers, manage paperwork, make regular calls or pay for a service, even if they cannot help with day-to-day tasks.
- Set a date to review the plan. Your parent’s needs can change quickly, so an arrangement that worked six months ago may no longer be the right one.
If the same conversation keeps going in circles, it may help to involve someone neutral, such as a trusted relative, social worker, counsellor or another professional. The aim is not to decide who has done the most. It is to agree on practical next steps and make sure no one is left carrying the arrangement alone.
FREE PLANNING TOOL
Family Care Responsibilities Planner
Give each task a main person, a back-up person and a review date.
This page provides general information only. It is not financial, legal or medical advice.
What Caring Gives Back
There can be a lot to manage when a parent needs more help. But there can also be moments you would not have had otherwise.
For some people, it brings a parent and adult child closer. You may spend more time together, hear stories you had not heard before, or learn more about the person your parent was before they became the person who needed help.
That does not make the harder parts disappear. You can feel close to your parent and exhausted by what is needed. You can be glad you were there and wish the responsibility was shared more evenly. Both can be true in the same week, sometimes on the same day.
“When people reflect on their experience in helping a loved one with getting care afterwards it is almost never about the paperwork. It’s that they found out something about their mother they hadn’t known. The arranging is what gets you there, and when it’s done, that’s the part that stays.”
Looking After Your Own Health and Wellbeing
When a parent needs more help, your own appointments, plans and downtime can become the things that move first. It is understandable, but it is not a good long-term arrangement.
Looking after yourself is not about trying harder to fit everything in. It is about making sure there is support around you as well as around your parent.
Make relief part of the plan
A break is easier to take when it is planned, rather than saved for the point when you are already exhausted. Start with one practical change:
- Put regular time away in the calendar, even if it is only a few hours.
- Ask for one defined task, such as taking Mum to an appointment on Thursday.
- Keep your own appointments and rebook promptly if you need to cancel.
- Tell your GP you are supporting a parent, especially if sleep, stress or your health is changing.
- Speak with your manager about a practical adjustment, such as your hours, start time or work location
About respite care
Respite means someone else takes over care for a short time, so you can have a break. It can be planned in advance, used for a particular event or appointment, or arranged in an emergency if you suddenly cannot provide care.
ACD SURVEY FINDING | USE OF AND ACCESS TO RESPITE
15.1%
use respite regularly or occasionally
25.4%
had considered respite
14.1%
tried to access it and could not
12.0%
were not aware it was available
When extra support would help
You do not need to manage everything through family alone. A GP, counsellor, carer support worker or trusted friend can be useful when the pressure is becoming hard to carry.
It may be time to ask for more support if you are regularly missing your own appointments, losing sleep, becoming unwell yourself, relying on leave you do not have, or feeling that there is nobody who could step in for even a day.
A break is easier to arrange before you urgently need one.
SUPPORT FOR CARERS
Carer Gateway is free
It offers counselling, coaching, peer support, skills courses, tailored support packages and help with respite. Call 1800 422 737.
NEXT STEP
Explore respite care options
Whether you need planned support, a short break or help while circumstances change, we can help you explore respite options that suit your parent’s needs, location and your family’s circumstances.
Creating a Sandwich Generation Family Care Plan
A practical family care plan can be one of the most useful forms of sandwich generation support, because it makes responsibilities, costs and next steps clearer. Most families can say what needs doing. What they can’t always say is who is doing it, when it was last done and where the information lives. That is often because the information is scattered. When care is shared across a family, important details end up between text messages, notebooks, calendars and whoever happened to take the last phone call. A care plan gives everyone the same starting point.
It can make appointments easier to coordinate, clarify who is doing what and mean fewer decisions have to be made in a rush. It is not about taking control away from your parent. It is about making sure the right people know what matters to them and what needs to happen next.
A family care plan does not need to be formal or complicated. It can begin with a shared note, a list of key contacts and a clear idea of who to call if something changes. In our survey, 55.4% of people supporting both generations said their family would be not very or not at all prepared if their parent’s needs increased tomorrow. Only 6.2% said very prepared.
Start with what is happening now, then make a plan for what could change next.
ACD SANDWICH GENERATION SURVEY 2026
57.9%
of people said they wished their family had started planning earlier.
Understand the current situation
Write down what your parent needs help with now
Include everyday tasks, appointments, medications, money, transport, meals, household jobs and anything they can no longer safely manage alone.
Check who can make decisions
Find out whether your parent has an enduring power of attorney, an advance care directive or other documents naming who they want involved. Document names and legal requirements differ by state and territory.
List the tasks, not just the people
Specific tasks such as booking an appointment or checking medication repeats are easier to allocate than “Mum needs help”.
Share responsibility and arrange support
Give each task a main person and a back-up
The main person follows it up. The back-up knows what to do if that person is sick, away or overwhelmed.
Register with My Aged Care and book an assessment
You do not need to wait until everything is urgent to understand what support your parent may be eligible for.
Check the support available to your family
This may include Support at Home or CHSP services, Carer Gateway support, and Centrelink payments for substantial ongoing care.
Compare services while there is time to choose
Check local availability, costs, start times and whether a service suits your parent’s particular needs.
Set out the costs plainly
Note what your parent pays, what family members contribute and what you are paying yourself.
Write an emergency plan
Keep contacts, medications, health information and important documents together, and decide who to call.
Agree on what would trigger a review
This might be a fall, hospital stay, change in memory, more personal care, or the main family member becoming unavailable.
A plan does not need to be perfect before it is useful. The first version may be a shared note, a calendar and a list of phone numbers. What matters is that the family does not have to start from scratch when something changes.
NEXT STEP
Family Care Plan Workbook
Work through tasks, contacts, costs, emergency information and a date to review the plan.
When Your Parent’s Care Needs Change
Sometimes a parent’s needs change slowly. Other times, there is a clear moment when the arrangement that was working no longer feels enough.
A change does not necessarily mean residential aged care. It may mean more support at home, a different mix of services, or a review of the current plan.
Signs it may be time to review support
- Falls, near-falls or an unplanned hospital visit.
- Changes in memory, mood or judgement.
- Medication mistakes, missed repeats, weight loss or missed meals.
- Increasing help needed with personal care or moving around.
- A home that is becoming harder to manage safely.
- You are exhausted, unwell or can no longer keep up.
One sign on its own does not always mean everything needs to change. But it is enough to start a conversation and check whether current support is still right.
What to do next
Speak with your parent’s provider if they already receive aged care services. If a change is more significant, contact My Aged Care to discuss an aged care assessment or review.
IMPORTANT NEXT STEP
Contact My Aged Care
Call 1800 200 422 to explain what has changed and discuss the most appropriate next step.
Update the family plan
- Who is now providing which support.
- Which services and health professionals are involved.
- Medicines, allergies and key health information.
- Who should be contacted in an emergency.
- Whether the back-up person and emergency plan still make sense.
FREE PLANNING TOOL
Aged care emergency information pack
Record medicines, providers, contacts, decision-makers and essential information.
Caring for an Ageing Parent From a Distance
Living in another city or state can make it harder to see how your parent is managing from one week to the next. You may be doing a lot of organising by phone while still feeling as though you are missing the things that matter.
Distance does not mean you need to manage everything alone from afar. The aim is to build a local layer of support around your parent, so you are coordinating care rather than trying to be there for every problem.
Build a local circle
Start by working out who is nearby and who your parent trusts. This might include a neighbour, friend, sibling, other relative or someone from their community.
Keep a list of names, phone numbers and what each person could reasonably help with. One person may be able to check in after a hospital visit; someone else may hold a spare key, collect a prescription or be available if your parent does not answer the phone.
If your parent has aged care services, make sure you know the provider’s main contact number and after-hours process. If they do not have services yet, My Aged Care is the starting point for arranging an assessment and exploring support at home.
Make communication more predictable
- Agree on a regular call with your parent.
- Use a shared calendar for appointments.
- Agree how providers will share important updates.
- Ask what your parent is comfortable sharing and with whom.
Trying to get an update only when you are worried can leave everyone feeling reactive. It can help to agree on a simple routine instead.
IMPORTANT STEP
Registered Supporters
With your parent’s agreement, you can be appointed as their Registered Supporter on My Aged Care. A Registered Supporter can help the person communicate their wishes, request and receive information, and take part in conversations with My Aged Care, assessors and providers.
It does not give you the right to make decisions for your parent. Its purpose is to help them make and communicate their own decisions about aged care.
Plan visits around decisions
A visit home can be more useful when it is planned around something that needs attention. This might be an aged care assessment, a specialist appointment, a provider meeting or a family conversation about what support is needed next.
That does not mean every visit needs to become a list of jobs. Time together matters too. But if there is a decision coming up, being there in person can make it easier to understand the options, hear what your parent wants and make a plan with the right people.
Agree on emergencies before one happens
- Who nearby could check on your parent first.
- Who holds a spare key.
- Who should be contacted if they go to hospital.
- Where medicines and important documents are kept.
- Who can travel if you cannot get there straight away.
- What the plan is for pets, household safety and other practical details if your parent is away unexpectedly.
These conversations can feel premature when things are going well, but they are much easier to have before anyone is trying to make decisions from a hospital corridor.
Be clear about your role
Distance can make family roles blurry. You may be doing all the research, paperwork, provider calls and family updates, while someone local is handling the practical jobs. Both forms of support matter.
Write down what you can realistically take on, what needs someone nearby and where formal services could fill the gaps. That makes it easier to ask for specific help rather than carrying the whole arrangement by default.
FREE PLANNING TOOL
Family care plan workbook
Coordinate key contacts, responsibilities, emergency arrangements, appointments and review dates across locations.
Sandwich Generation Statistics in Australia
Australia does not publish a single official count of people in the sandwich generation. National evidence shows that care for children and older relatives can overlap. Aged Care Decisions’ 2026 survey adds a snapshot of how people supporting both generations experience that pressure.
National Context
These figures describe carers and family care in Australia more broadly. They are not estimates of the number of people in the sandwich generation.
NATIONAL RESEARCH
3.0 million+ Australians are carers
That is 11.9% of the population. In 2022, the average age of carers was 50, and more than one-third were aged 35 to 54.
Source: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, Informal carers, using ABS 2022 data.
OVERLAPPING CARE
Women aged 18–64 spent time caring in both directions
In 2022, women spent an average of 8.8 hours a week caring for their own children and 1.9 hours caring for an older or disabled relative. For men, the averages were 4.5 and 1.1 hours.
Source: Melbourne Institute, HILDA 19th Annual Statistical Report. These are population averages, not a defined sandwich-generation subgroup.
GRANDPARENT CARE
29% of families with preschool children used grandparent care
Among families that used grandparent care, children spent an average of 11.8 hours a week with their grandparents in 2023.
ORIGINAL AGED CARE DECISIONS RESEARCH
What 1,027 survey respondents told us
These findings illustrate the experience of people in ACD’s main survey path. They are not estimates for all Australians or all carers.
41%
spent 20 or more hours a week supporting an older parent or relative
Including 20% who spent 40 hours or more.
88%
provided emotional support.
The most commonly reported form of support.
86%
Making visible the coordination work that can go unrecognised.
56%
had less family time overall
55% also missed an event, activity or milestone.
58%
wished their family had started planning earlier
A practical case for acting before care needs become urgent.
Older carers are part of the picture too
31% of main-path respondents said they supported a grandchild, compared with 16% who supported a child under 18 living at home.
This reflects the profile of survey participants, who were predominantly women and older adults. It is not a national prevalence estimate or evidence that the sandwich generation has shifted up a generation.
Source: Aged Care Decisions Sandwich Generation Survey 2026, n = 1,027 main survey path. Participation was voluntary and the sample is not nationally representative. Care tasks and family-life questions allowed multiple responses, so percentages can total more than 100%.
The findings above are drawn from the Aged Care Decisions Sandwich Generation Survey 2026. They reflect the experiences of people who took part and are not national population estimates.
Sandwich Generation Resource Downloads
Use the tool that best matches the step you are taking today. Each guide is designed to help you make progress without having to work everything out at once.
Aged Care Planning Guide for Families
A practical guide to urgent needs, appointments, costs, responsibilities and next steps.
Understand what support is needed
Aged Care Needs Checklist
Review daily living, safety, health and social-support needs.
My Aged Care Assessment Preparation Checklist
Gather useful information and prepare questions before an assessment.
Plan and choose care
Aged Care Provider Checklist
Prepare for provider conversations and compare support options with confidence.
Aged Care Planning Workbook
Record roles, providers, schedules, costs, contacts and review dates in one place.
Share the practical load
Family Care Responsibilities Planner
Allocate tasks, name a back-up person and set review dates.
Sandwich Generation Budget Planner
See family costs, lost income and available assistance more clearly.
Be ready if things change quickly
Aged Care Emergency Information Pack
Keep key medical, provider, contact and decision-maker details together.
Frequently asked questions
What is the sandwich generation?
The sandwich generation describes adults who support an ageing parent or parent-in-law while also raising children, helping adult children or caring for grandchildren.
The support may involve appointments, paperwork, transport, bills, provider calls, regular check-ins or personal care. It is the overlap between generations, rather than the amount or type of help you provide, that defines the role.
What is the club sandwich generation?
The club sandwich generation is a term sometimes used for people supporting three or more generations at once.
For example, you may be helping an ageing parent, supporting an adult child and caring for grandchildren. Like the broader sandwich generation, it is defined by the responsibilities you are carrying rather than your age or family structure.
How old is the sandwich generation?
The sandwich generation is often associated with people in their 40s and 50s, but it is defined by responsibilities rather than age.
It can include parents with younger children, people helping adult children who have moved back home, and older adults caring for grandchildren while supporting an ageing parent or parent-in-law.
How many Australians are in the sandwich generation?
There is no official Australian count of people supporting an older parent while also raising or helping younger family members.
National data counts carers more broadly. In 2022, 3.0 million Australians were carers. The Aged Care Decisions Sandwich Generation Survey 2026 provides a snapshot of people supporting both generations, but it is not a national population estimate.
How do I get help for an ageing parent?
My Aged Care is the starting point for government-funded aged care. A free assessment can help identify the services your parent may be eligible for, including Support at Home, respite or residential aged care.
You do not need to have every decision made before making contact. An assessment gives you a clearer picture of your parent’s needs, available options and what to do next.
When should I start looking for aged care support?
It is usually easier to start before a fall, hospital stay or growing difficulty with everyday tasks forces the decision. In the 2026 Aged Care Decisions survey, only 17.2% of respondents had sought formal support before there was an urgent need, while 24.9% started looking after a fall or hospital stay.
Registering with My Aged Care and having an assessment does not commit your parent to accepting services. It gives you a clearer understanding of the options and what may be available if their needs change.
What if my parent does not want help?
Many older people worry that accepting help means losing independence. Start with one practical service that could make everyday life easier, such as meals, transport, gardening or help around the house.
A My Aged Care assessment does not commit your parent to accepting services. It simply helps you understand what support may be available.
How long will my parent wait for aged care?
The latest published national report available in August 2026 recorded a median of 297 days from application to service commencement for ongoing Support at Home. Current estimated waits also vary by priority category, so check My Aged Care for the latest information. See the Aged Care Act 2024 wait times reports for the published data.
Wait times vary depending on your parent’s needs, priority category, location and how quickly a suitable provider is available. It can help to start comparing providers while you wait, so services can begin once funding is assigned.
What does aged care cost?
What your parent pays depends on the type of care they receive and their financial circumstances. Under Support at Home, the government fully funds clinical services, while contributions may apply to other services. Residential aged care has different fees and accommodation arrangements.
See the current Schedule of Aged Care Fees and charges for more information.
What Centrelink support is available for carers?
There is no payment specifically for people in the sandwich generation. Depending on your circumstances, you may be eligible for Carer Payment, Carer Allowance or the annual Carer Supplement.
Each has different care, income, assets and work rules. Read more about carer payments for aged care.
Can I work while caring for a parent?
Many people continue working while caring, although appointments, changing needs and short-notice decisions can affect hours, leave and flexibility.
You may be able to use paid or unpaid carer’s leave, or request flexible working arrangements. If you receive Carer Payment, you may still be able to work up to 100 hours in a four-week period if you meet the other eligibility rules.
Where can carers get support?
Carer Gateway provides free support for carers, including counselling, coaching, peer support, practical information and help exploring respite options.
Respite means someone else takes care of the person you support for a period, so you can attend to other commitments or take a break. It can be planned in advance or arranged when circumstances change unexpectedly.
What should I do if my parent’s needs suddenly change?
If there is an immediate medical emergency, call 000. Otherwise, contact your parent’s GP, treating team, aged-care provider or My Aged Care and explain what has changed.
If your parent already receives aged-care services, ask their provider to review the care plan and explain what is no longer working. My Aged Care may arrange a support-plan review or a new assessment if your parent needs different services or a different level of support.
How does the free Aged Care Options Report work?
Aged Care Decisions can help you compare Support at Home, respite and residential aged care provider options based on your parent’s care needs, location and preferences. The report is free, personalised to your requirements, and you can use the information to make your own decision. There is no obligation to choose a provider.
Sources and Methodology
About the Aged Care Decisions Sandwich Generation Survey 2026
The Aged Care Decisions Sandwich Generation Survey 2026 explored the experiences of people supporting an older parent or relative while also raising children, helping adult children or caring for grandchildren.
The survey was conducted from 21 August to 3 September 2026 and received 1,639 responses. The main survey path included 1,027 respondents who were supporting an older person and a child, grandchild or other dependant, or were unsure whether their circumstances met that definition.
The survey explored caring responsibilities, family support, work, finances, formal aged care, respite and planning for changing care needs.
Findings on this page describe the experiences of people who took part. They are not national population estimates and should not be read as showing how many Australians are in the sandwich generation.
Where an Aged Care Decisions survey statistic appears on this page, it is identified as a survey finding. The response base is shown where relevant. Some questions allowed respondents to select more than one answer.
The survey reflects what respondents reported about their own circumstances and experiences at the time they completed it. It does not diagnose stress, burnout, financial hardship or health conditions.
Sources
This guide draws on Australian government data, independent research and findings from the Aged Care Decisions Sandwich Generation Survey 2026.
National carer and family context
Australian Bureau of Statistics, Disability, Ageing and Carers, Australia: Summary of Findings, 2022
Carer experience and financial impact
Carers Australia, Caring Costs Us, modelling prepared by Evaluate, 2022
Australian Seniors, Sandwich Generation Report 2025, research conducted by MYMAVINS
Government services and entitlements
Government payments, aged care fees, eligibility rules and service arrangements can change. Check the relevant government service for current information before making decisions.