| Oprahbama, the big O's, Oprah and the Obamas - | | | | or a coach can be a sounding board, validate your |
| sounds like a rock band on a road trip. As Oprah hit | | | | perceptions, support your ideas and help you follow |
| the campaign trail recently, her candidate played the | | | | through with your plans. 5. As knowledge is power, try |
| celebrity card and the female fan base responded. | | | | to better understand the difficult transitions your family |
| When you need it, the value of support simply cannot | | | | in flux is going through. Gather information about how |
| be overestimated. Oprah is a driving force, with her | | | | to manage change from the Internet's search engines |
| message of empowering women and her success at | | | | or the self-help section of bookstores. Talk to others |
| moving product. So, for now, the contest for the | | | | who have gone through similar experiences in order to |
| democratic nomination is more up in the air. Hillary | | | | get realistic feedback and some concrete advice. 6. |
| pulled out all the stops, spending her time drumming up | | | | Dig deep and find your own inner voice - listen to what |
| support with her mom and daughter close by her side. | | | | it has to say about caring for your family relationships |
| Are you in the same boat, as Sandwiched Boomers in | | | | and nurturing yourself personally. Set some specific |
| the midst of dealing with aging parents and growing | | | | goals about what you need from your family and for |
| children? Do you need some help in finding support for | | | | you. Step by step, work toward achieving them. |
| yourself? Learn how to go about it from the following | | | | Perhaps the marriage of show business and politics is |
| ideas: 1. Educate yourself about what to expect and | | | | a little too Hollywood for your taste. Obama and Hillary |
| the various organizations or resources available to you. | | | | are focused on the best way to achieve maximum |
| Talk to friends and family whose opinions you respect. | | | | political advantage. For you, it's more about building a |
| Collaboration is essential during such a critical period of | | | | support system, not star power. How to get the vote |
| time. Reach out and create a network - you don't | | | | of confidence, from those whose reinforcement you |
| have to do it alone. 2. Be frank with your family. | | | | need, may be the crux of your struggle right now. Pitch |
| Engage your siblings in the problems and the solutions. | | | | for the demographic that will buoy you up in times of |
| Put emotional and logistical support systems in place | | | | need. And save the best seats in the house for those |
| as you ask for practical help and delegate | | | | who will continue to work on your behalf. © 2007, |
| responsibilities. Have them set aside personal agendas | | | | Her Mentor Center |
| and work together toward collective goals. 3. Find a | | | | Phyllis Goldberg, Ph.D. & Rosemary Lichtman, Ph.D. are |
| class or workshop that addresses your specific | | | | co-founders of a website for midlife women and a |
| concerns. Local university extension programs or | | | | Blog for the Sandwich Generation. They are authors |
| mental health centers provide training seminars about a | | | | of a forthcoming book about Baby Boomers' family |
| variety of concerns and problems that are common to | | | | relationships and publish a free newsletter, Stepping |
| Sandwiched Boomers. 4. Join an ongoing group or | | | | Stones, through their website. As psychotherapists, |
| attend a weekend retreat to share concerns, | | | | they have over 40 years of collective private practice |
| problem-solve and gain new perspective. A therapist | | | | experience. |