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Sunday 18 October

The Sandwich Generation Documentary & How It Reinvigorated My Cause To Help Family Caregivers

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Movie Snapshot

Hey there, it's Jill and the video clip above is from The Sandwich Generation a documentary about family caregiving by filmmaker Julie Winokur and her husband, photojournalist Ed Kashi. The film brings viewers into their life as a family that has two small kids and includes Winokur's 83-year-old father, Herbie, who has dementia. The story begins with Winokur and Kashi uprooting their two children and business to move 3,000 miles in order to help Herbie. At almost every turn this family faces tough decisions where they must decide what's important, what must be let go and which compromises they are willing to make. It is a story that is happening all over America right now: thousands of men and women, dubbed the sandwich generation, are raising their kids and also looking after their aging parents—and that is a very tall order.

This video really moved me and its story of one family—that stands in for thousands of others—resonated in my thoughts for long after it had stopped playing. Watching this video reinvigorated my commitment to the work I started so many years ago, which was to really help caregivers that need support, guidance or just a sympathetic ear. I really want information for anyone who needs it to be accessible to them. I've seen how even just a few practical tips can make a world of difference for families—and can change everything from whether the day begins with smiles or tears to if it ends with a peaceful household where everyone is tucked into their beds. And so as my company now has merged into Caring.com, I re-establish my commitment to you that I will try to pull as many resources, services and essential bits of information all into one place to help You the Sandwich Generation, You the Caregiver, You the Senior, You the Adult Children and You the Individual.

And please, I don't want this to be a one-way street, so drop me an email if you have any questions, concerns or need a fix for some issue and let's get cracking on making life better, easier or just plain happier for all of us.

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2 Responses to “The Sandwich Generation Documentary & How It Reinvigorated My Cause To Help Family Caregivers”

Julie, thank you so much for making the film. I think both of us are working toward the same goal—helping families across the country and the work you put in to your family and your film is truly inspirational.

Posted by: Jill Gilbert | October 20th, 2009 at 9:33am

I just saw this post about our film and I had to thank you. We made the film because we knew there were millions of people struggling with the same issues we had, but that each of us was struggling in isolation. Caregiving is the most demanding job a person will ever take on, and there are plenty of days when you don't think you can manage. If our film helps people connect to the resources that are available, and connect to other people in their situation, it was all worthwhile. Thank you.

Posted by: julie winokur | October 19th, 2009 at 8:12am

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