What happens when caring for the people who once cared for you becomes one of the biggest challenges of your life? 

This week Marie Claire Australia Editor Georgie McCourt is joined by broadcaster, journalist and bestselling author Sarah Macdonald for an honest conversation about ageing parents, motherhood, work, grief, guilt and the invisible weight carried by so many women. 

Sarah is part of Australia's sandwich generation, caring for her 92-year-old mother and 94-year-old mother-in-law while navigating family life and a demanding media career. She opens up about the reality of caring for ageing parents, from managing the practical and emotional load to the moments of frustration, grief and unexpected joy that come with watching the people who raised you grow older. 

The conversation also explores what it means to be part of the sandwich generation: raising children, caring for ageing parents, maintaining a career and trying to hold onto a life of your own. Sarah shares why women need more recognition, support and honest conversations around caregiving, and why simply hearing the words "you're doing a great job" can mean so much. 

This episode covers:  
Sarah Macdonald on life in the sandwich generation 
Caring for ageing parents while raising a family 
The invisible mental load of caregiving 
Balancing motherhood, work and caring responsibilities 
The impact of caregiving on women's careers 
The career opportunities Sarah had to let go 
Advocating for her father at the end of his life 
The grief and guilt that comes with watching parents age 
The emotional and practical realities of unpaid care 
The importance of simply saying "you're doing a great job" 
How women can prepare for their parents getting older 
Finding moments of joy while caring for ageing parents 
What Australia needs to do differently for unpaid carers 
Why the sandwich generation is one of the defining issues facing women today 

You can find Sarah's podcast Club Sandwich here

Stay up to date with Marie Claire Australia on Instagram  

🎧 Listen to You're Gonna Want to Hear This and follow us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify  

👀 Watch and subscribe to You're Gonna Want to Hear This on YouTube 📺 for full episodes and clips.  

Credits:   

Host Georgie McCourt   

Edited by Helen Smith 

Head of Vodcasting Rachel Fountain 

With thanks to our amazing team at Marie Claire  

You're Gonna Want to Hear This is a production of Marie Claire and Are Media. 

What happens when caring for the people who once cared for you becomes one of the biggest challenges of your life?&nbsp;
This week Marie Claire Australia Editor Georgie McCourt is joined by broadcaster,&nbsp;journalist&nbsp;and bestselling author Sarah Macdonald for an honest conversation about ageing parents, motherhood, work, grief,&nbsp;guilt&nbsp;and the invisible weight carried by so many women.&nbsp;
Sarah is part of Australia's sandwich generation, caring for her 92-year-old mother and 94-year-old mother-in-law while navigating family life and a demanding media career. She&nbsp;opens up&nbsp;about the reality of caring for ageing parents, from managing the practical and emotional load to the moments of frustration, grief and unexpected joy that come with watching the people who raised you grow older.&nbsp;
The conversation also explores what it means to be part of the sandwich generation: raising children, caring for ageing parents,&nbsp;maintaining&nbsp;a&nbsp;career&nbsp;and trying to hold onto a life of your own. Sarah shares why women need more recognition,&nbsp;support&nbsp;and honest conversations around caregiving, and why simply hearing the words "you're doing a great job" can mean so much.&nbsp;
This episode covers:&nbsp;&nbsp;
<ul>
<li>Sarah Macdonald on life in the sandwich generation&nbsp;</li>
<li>Caring for ageing parents while raising a family&nbsp;</li>
<li>The invisible mental load of caregiving&nbsp;</li>
<li>Balancing motherhood,&nbsp;work&nbsp;and caring responsibilities&nbsp;</li>
<li>The impact of caregiving on women's careers&nbsp;</li>
<li>The career opportunities Sarah had to let go&nbsp;</li>
<li>Advocating for her father at the end of his life&nbsp;</li>
<li>The grief and guilt that comes with watching&nbsp;parents&nbsp;age&nbsp;</li>
<li>The emotional and practical realities of unpaid care&nbsp;</li>
<li>The importance of simply saying "you're doing a great job"&nbsp;</li>
<li>How women can prepare for their parents getting older&nbsp;</li>
<li>Finding moments of joy while caring for ageing parents&nbsp;</li>
<li>What Australia needs to do differently for unpaid carers&nbsp;</li>
<li>Why the sandwich generation is one of the defining issues facing women today&nbsp;</li>
</ul>
You can find Sarah's podcast <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/club-sandwich/id1822692325">Club Sandwich</a> here
Stay up to date with Marie Claire Australia on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/marieclaireau">Instagram</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;
🎧 Listen to&nbsp;You're&nbsp;Gonna&nbsp;Want to Hear This and follow us on&nbsp;<a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/youre-gonna-want-to-hear-this/id1849312864">Apple Podcasts</a>&nbsp;or&nbsp;<a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/2Vsxq2nZIMJLnywOXfuxqZ?si=bb7ec5eac4184752">Spotify</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;
👀 Watch and subscribe to You're&nbsp;Gonna&nbsp;Want to Hear This on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/marieclaire">YouTube</a> 📺 for full episodes and clips.&nbsp;&nbsp;
Credits:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
Host&nbsp;Georgie McCourt&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
Edited by&nbsp;Helen Smith&nbsp;
Head of Vodcasting Rachel Fountain&nbsp;
With thanks to our amazing team at Marie Claire&nbsp;&nbsp;
<a href="https://www.marieclaire.com.au/life/youre-gonna-want-to-hear-this-podcast/">You're Gonna Want to Hear This</a>&nbsp;is a production of Marie Claire and Are Media.&nbsp;

Who’s on your celebrity fantasy dinner party list? Marie Claire have got access to the biggest celebrities and fascinating favourite people you love.  With unique pairings, the type of conversations where fun and frankness is always in style. Trust us…you’re gonna want to hear this! 

Who&rsquo;s on your celebrity fantasy dinner party list? Marie Claire have got access to the biggest celebrities and fascinating favourite people you love. &nbsp;With unique pairings, the type of conversations where fun and frankness is always in style. Trust us&hellip;you&rsquo;re gonna want to hear this!&nbsp;

You’re Gonna Want To Hear This

Broadcaster, journalist and bestselling author Sarah Macdonald joins Marie Claire Australia Editor Georgie McCourt for an honest conversation about the realities of caring for ageing parents. Sarah shares her experience of being part of the sandwich generation, balancing family, work and caregiving while navigating grief, guilt, career sacrifices and the invisible mental load carried by so many women. 

The Sandwich Generation: Sarah Macdonald on Ageing Parents & the Invisible Mental Load 

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/fa326977-3de5-4283-9b8b-af3500c58607/clips/dff7b0f4-e97c-4e64-a80d-b4a3006a921d/transcript