Family Matters | Nelson Family

On this episode of A World of Difference, we meet the Nelson family navigating life at the intersection of neurodiversity and multigenerational caregiving when Nana moves in and family routines shift.

Raising neurodivergent children who think and learn differently adds a heightened level of complexity for moms and dads. And for parents who find themselves adding their own parents into the family circle, that complexity, and stress, can ratchet up several notches, leaving them feeling sandwiched.

One side of the sandwich may be neurodivergent children who need advocacy, structure, therapies, educational support, and co-regulation. The other may be aging parents who need transportation, medical coordination, financial assistance, or increasing physical care.

While those responsibilities may not disappear, relief and functionality can grow as families build capacity, expand supports, and embrace an important truth: being responsible for people is different from being solely responsible for them.