At home and work, women are burning out. Why are we letting it happen?

It’s hard to find someone who isn’t feeling overwhelmed these days. Between work, family, and the constant juggle of everyday life, everyone I speak to seems to have far too much on their plate.

But if you’re a working woman who is both raising children and caring for ageing parents, chances are your plate is a little fuller than most.

We need workplace policies that acknowledge and accommodate the realities of caregiving.Credit: iStock

The term ‘Sandwich Generation’ has been around since the 1980s, originally coined to describe the demographic of adults – typically aged between 40 and 55 – who provide care for both their children and their parents at the same time.

These are the people packing their child’s school lunches alongside organising their dad’s weekly meds schedule; the ones leaving work to drive their child to footy training, before taking their mum to a doctor’s appointment.

While these scenarios may sound familiar to many, it’s women who are most likely to find themselves sandwiched. Data from the ABS reveals women are disproportionately more likely than men to be informal caregivers for ageing parents, with women aged between 45 and 54 carrying most of the load.

And in families with multiple adult children, it’s typically the eldest daughter who assumes the position of caregiver for ageing parents – an example of what is termed ‘Eldest daughter syndrome’.

We continue to rely heavily on the unpaid labour of women, often without offering them adequate support or recognition.

It’s perhaps easy to understand then why women tend to experience higher rates of stress, anxiety, overwhelm, and burnout – both at work and at home – compared to men.

Despite a collective push towards gender equality in the workforce, women are still expected to carry the weight of caregiving responsibilities, and it risks hurting not just their wellbeing but also their careers. And, unfortunately, there’s no relief in sight.

With the wall of baby boomers set to reach their 80s over the next decade and the growing trend for self-management in aged care, there will only be extra heat on the Sandwich Generation, creating ‘secondary patients’ in an already stretched health system. Research has shown that caregiver stress can have a significant impact on the health outcomes of those looking after their loved ones.

We must confront an uncomfortable truth: that we continue to rely heavily on the unpaid labour of women, particularly those caught in the Sandwich Generation, often without offering them adequate support or recognition.

I’ve seen firsthand the difference that the right support can make. I’ve worked alongside countless women who try to do it all – navigate careers, parent their children, and provide care for elderly parents.

The mental, emotional and sometimes physical toll can be enormous, and when the balancing act falters – as it inevitably will occasionally – the guilt that follows can be all-consuming.

With an awareness of the resources and guidance available to support them, the weight these women carry becomes more manageable. But we must go beyond individual support. We need a cultural shift that recognises caregiving not as a personal challenge to be handled quietly, but as a vital contribution to society that deserves respect, resources, and policy support.

Employers have an important role to play. We need workplace policies that acknowledge and accommodate the realities of caregiving. Policies like flexible work arrangements, paid parental and carer’s leave, and workplace cultures that support, rather than penalise those juggling responsibilities at home.

Governments, too, must act by investing in affordable, accessible care with strong coordination and care management options—whether that’s for young children or older Australians. These are not luxuries. They’re critical infrastructure for a healthy, functioning society. And they don’t just benefit women, they benefit everyone.

Ultimately, supporting the Sandwich Generation isn’t just about alleviating individual stress. It’s about building a fairer, more sustainable future – one where no woman needs to choose between caring for her loved ones and maintaining her career, her wellbeing, or her identity.

Lynda Chalmers is the chief executive of Care Connect.

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