Bridging Generations

Caring for family has been seen from many perspectives, many of which are studied through clinical and psychological lenses. By contrast, this critical hermeneutic research explores ethical meanings during a time of dual-generation care and how these interpretations may affect one’s view of family across generations. This book examines stories from caregiving adults who are situated between young children and dependent elders, also known as the “sandwich generation.” Using the theoretical categories of temporality, ethics, and recognition, readers will come to see multi-generational family care differently, with meaning and hope coming forth. The theory of ontology (or the study of "being") creates a view of familial care across generations, thereby shows how a caregiver may reinforce personal meanings, create them anew, or see how they have changed over time. Readers will see how carrying out an ethical life may be shown as part of a broader family legacy, influenced by ethnic background, culture, faith tradition, or entirely new personal interpretations. The implications of this caregiving are both personal and societal; life lessons unfold, and renewed recognition emerges.