Life can be a day-to-day struggle for those adults raising children and also caring for elderly parents.

Sen. Robert Casey estimates the number of Americans over age 65 with chronic health conditions at 30 million to 38 million. About half of those in their 40s or 50s are providing for children of their own while also helping care for parents. They are known as the "sandwich generation."A stagnant economy has put pressure on many families. Between 1989 and 2010, college tuition quadrupled, health insurance premiums more than doubled while median wages rose only 70 percent and the minimum wage lost a third of its value. These statistics have worsened over the last four years.Casey feels the government should be doing something to support those burdened with a full-time job while also caring for aging parents. The senator is proposing a national Caregivers Corps., which would provide resources and money for agencies to establish a structure for local volunteers.Under the plan, the Department of Health and Human Services would enlist a contractor to develop guidelines and establish an online "toolkit" for organizations interested in establishing a volunteer corps. Federal grants could be used in part to conduct screenings and background checks on potential volunteers.Agencies on aging, volunteer groups, colleges and universities, plus state, county and local governments could all set up a hub as part of the Caregiver Corps. Any type of compensation would also come from local hubs.Casey's "caregiver corps" would be similar to the Peace Corps or Americorps. Trained volunteers would pledge up to two years of service and could get compensated through stipends, college tuition, academic credit or volunteer hours. The volunteers would provide assistance and serve as a companion but wouldn't provide personal care or administer prescription medications.Casey says he's not sure about costs, but called it "minimal" since the DHS may already have the necessary funding to get a program up and running. After passage by congress, he hopes the plan can be implemented by 2015.Those members of the "sandwich generation" who are caring for elderly parents would certainly welcome some assistance to free up a few hours from their busy schedules.By Jim Zbickeditor@tnonline.com