If you’re in your 40s, 50s, or 60s raising children while also caring for aging parents, you’re part of what’s often called the Sandwich Generation—and chances are, you feel pulled in every direction.

For families in Omaha, this challenge comes with unique pressures: a tight job market, rising healthcare costs, and a patchwork of care options. Whether you’re attending a school event at Millard West or taking your mom to Methodist Hospital for her check-up, you’re managing two full-time roles—and it’s exhausting.

This guide is for you. It’s not just encouragement (though you deserve that, too). It’s real, local, practical help.

🧭 Step 1: Map Your Weekly Reality

Start with a time and task audit:

• Write down everything you do for your kids, your parents, your job, and yourself.
• Estimate how much time each task takes.
• Highlight the non-negotiables: school pick-ups, doctor visits, work meetings.

Once it’s mapped out, look for:

• Tasks to delegate (can a neighbor help with school drop-off?)
• Tasks to outsource (can you get grocery delivery instead of going to Hy-Vee?)
• Tasks to combine (can your parent attend a child’s soccer game for bonding time?)

🛠 Tool Tip: Use a shared Google Calendar to coordinate care and family responsibilities. Color-code by category (kids, parents, self-care, work).

🏘️ Step 2: Build Your Local Caregiving Toolkit

Omaha has many underutilized resources for caregivers—often free or low-cost.

💡 Key Services in Omaha:

• ENOA (Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging)
  Offers caregiver support groups, case management, respite care, and meals on wheels.
  📍 enoa.org | 📞 402-444-6536
• Aging Partners
  Supports families with wellness classes, caregiver education, and transportation help.
  📍 aging.lincoln.ne.gov
• CHI Health & Nebraska Medicine
  Provide family caregiver classes, memory care clinics, and referrals for senior services.
• Omaha Public Library
  Hosts wellness programs, tech help for seniors, and even free legal aid days.

🛠 Pro Tip: Call 2-1-1. It’s a free helpline that connects you to local senior care and social services.

🧓 Step 3: Set Up Systems for Your Parent’s Care

Instead of reacting to every crisis, build a care system with tools and routines.

What That Might Look Like:

• Medication Management
  • Use a smart pill dispenser like MedMinder
  • Set reminders on Alexa or Google Home
• Doctor Appointments
  • Keep all appointments in one shared calendar
  • Use MyChart for digital records across local providers
• Home Safety
  • Install grab bars, nightlights, and non-slip mats
  • Consider a medical alert system (Omaha Police and Fire can recommend providers)

🛠 Bonus Tool: Create a binder or Google Drive folder with essential info: ID, insurance, medications, contacts, Power of Attorney documents, etc.

👶 Step 4: Support Your Children Through the Process

Your kids are watching and absorbing more than you think. Involve them in age-appropriate ways:

• Let them “help” Grandma with small tasks
• Talk about aging and compassion in an honest way
• Protect family fun time—make room for movie nights, picnics at Zorinsky Lake, or Saturdays at the Henry Doorly Zoo

🛠 Local Support:

• Check with Omaha Public Schools for guidance counselors familiar with multigenerational stress
• Explore youth support groups or family therapy at Lutheran Family Services

💼 Step 5: Advocate for Flexibility at Work

Balancing caregiving with a job is a top stressor. Many Omaha companies are improving their caregiver policies—but you often have to ask.

Tips for the conversation:

• Document how caregiving affects your schedule
• Suggest solutions (remote hours, flexible start time)
• Emphasize your commitment and productivity

🛠 Know Your Rights:
Under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), eligible employees can take unpaid, job-protected leave to care for a parent.

❤️ Step 6: Protect Your Mental Health—Seriously

Burnout is real—and dangerous. Caregivers are at high risk for anxiety, depression, and even physical illness.

• Set boundaries: Not every request is urgent. Not every moment must be productive.
• Schedule recovery: Even a 30-minute walk at Elmwood Park helps.
• Seek support:
  • Attend a caregiver support group (ENOA runs several)
  • See a therapist who specializes in caregiver stress (try Alegent or private practice via Psychology Today)

🛠 Helpful Apps:

• Calm for meditation
• CaringBridge to keep family updated
• Lotsa Helping Hands to organize help from others

🧩 Bonus: When to Consider In-Home Care

If your parent needs daily help with bathing, dressing, medication, or memory issues—it may be time to bring in support.

In-home care isn’t an admission of failure. It’s a wise, compassionate step to protect your whole family’s well-being.

Prairie Hill Home Care works with families across Omaha to customize care plans that fit your life—not the other way around. Even just a few hours a week of help can give you room to breathe.

🛠 Final Word: Build, Don’t Balance

“Balance” sounds like a perfectly even scale. Real caregiving isn’t like that. Think of it as building a care ecosystem—with supports, schedules, and local resources to hold up the people you love… including yourself.

Want to learn more about creating a sustainable care plan for your family in Omaha?
Reach out to our team at Prairie Hill Home Care. We’re here to help—with empathy, flexibility, and no pressure.