Because the average age for marriage has been slowly inching upward (27 for women and 29 for men, according to the US Census) and life expectancies are now just below 80, many of us can anticipate supporting two generations at some point in our lives. According to the Pew Research Center, 68% of adults between the ages of 40–59 have at least one parent age 65 or older. Of that group, 55% are already providing some form of help to both a parent and one of their own children.
Caring for family on both ends of the spectrum—growing kids and aging parents—can compromise even the healthiest marriage. For the many mid-lifers who find themselves pulled in two directions, it’s imperative for us to discern how to protect and nurture our marriages as we serve our families.
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