Generations Together - 'Cooperation for Society's Mental Health'
What are the challenges facing the sandwich generation? This is the question that the participants of the roundtable discussion "Varied challenges to family life" sought to answer at the conference entitled Generations Together - 'Cooperation for Society's Mental Health'.
Tünde Fűrész, president of the Mária Kopp Institute for Demography and Families (KINCS), moderator of the discussion, stressed that we are generations who follow and pass on examples. The sandwich generations are the carers and supporters of both their own children and ageing parents. This is why it is important to be able to speak the language of the elderly and the young, and to have enough time to do so.
Kálmán Dabóczi, president of the Seventy-Two Disciples Movement, said: we are on the verge of a technological-historical-global shift, and the sandwich generation represents a transitional knowledge transfer between the elderly and the young.
Noémi Orvos-Tóth clinical psychologist also said that this situation places a huge burden on the 35-55 age group. However, it is important to share the burden within the family, and that it is not a shame to ask for help from others.
Anna Nagy, head of the Single Parent Families’ Foundation, stressed that it is important to listen to our children and adapt to them, as it is not only the parent who can teach the child, but also the other way round.
Gábor Gundel Takács, tv presenter, has also experienced that children have a lot to show their parents. He said that the best way to educate children is through listening and communication.
