An estimated 22.4 million U.S. households — nearly one in four — now are providing care to a relative or friend aged 50 or older or have provided care during the previous 12 months. So says a recent survey by the National Alliance for Caregiving and the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP). Other surveys suggest that today’s Baby Boomers — adults born between 1946 and 1965 — likely will spend more years caring for a parent than for their children.

If you’re 40 or older, you may be among this new generation of caregivers, which is dedicating enormous time, energy and spirit to ensure that aging loved ones are safe, secure and maintaining the best possible quality of life. And chances are you know firsthand the meaning of the term "Sandwich Generation"— used to describe the growing number of adult children feeling squeezed between the needs of an aging parent, relative or friend and the demands of their own children, spouses and careers.

Juggling these competing demands is not easy, but it can be done. Help is available from public, private and non-profit organizations, even if you’re trying to provide eldercare long-distance.

Trying to care for an aging parent may seem overwhelming. Don’t be shy about asking for help from your family, seeking guidance from professionals, or talking to other caregivers. Caregiving is a universal experience.

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