I wasn't prepared for the care crisis that hit my family. I'm learning how to raise 3 kids while tending to my aging parents.

Courtesy of Anna De La Cruz.

When my first two children were 2 and 6, my mom ended up in the hospital. Little did I know, she would never return to living independently. Suddenly I was scrambling to figure out where she would live, the status of her finances, and researching what to expect given a new dementia diagnosis. Just a few years later, my father's health began to decline and there were signs of dementia — all while I had a third child on the way. With both of my parents losing their ability to fulfill guardianship duties for my brother with Down syndrome, his care soon became my responsibility as well. I was part of the Sandwich Generation — with a side of fries.