The Millennial Caregiver Crisis: How Boateng Creatives Is Redefining Success for the Sandwich Generation — written by Kalema Boateng, Founder & CEO of Boateng Creatives Consulting — explores the hidden challenges faced by modern caregivers.
Across New York City, more than 1.3 million residents are quietly juggling two full-time jobs — their paid careers and sale ca priligy their unpaid labor as caregivers. Nationally, family caregivers provide care valued at a staggering $873 billion a year — an invisible economy larger than the GDP of Switzerland, according to Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health (2024).
Yet nearly 40 percent of caregivers don’t even identify as “caregivers.” They’re parents who drop off kids in the morning and manage household or eldercare responsibilities at night. They’re professionals answering client emails between therapy sessions, school pickups, and late-night planning. They’re the women — and increasingly men — of the Millennial Sandwich Generation, pulled between raising children, caring for elders, and sustaining demanding careers.
When Caregiving Becomes the Second Shift
Research from the AARP & National Alliance for Caregiving’s 2025 report shows that 86 percent of millennial caregivers work full-time, and more than half spend 15 hours or more each week providing unpaid care. Many devote 30 hours or more — the equivalent of another full-time job.
The personal toll is staggering: the AARP Public Policy Institute estimates caregivers lose an average of $432,000 in lifetime income and benefits, while 26 percent spend a quarter of their personal income covering caregiving costs. During the pandemic, these pressures intensified — and for many millennials, the dream of “work-life balance” turned into a fight for survival.
A First-Hand Expert in Balancing It All
Kalema Boateng understands this reality because she lives it. As a mother, daughter, and entrepreneur, she has navigated the complexities of caring for immediate family members — all while building one of New York City’s leading MWBE-certified consulting firms, Boateng Creatives Consulting.
“I know what it means to hold the pieces together,” Boateng shares. “There were days I was reviewing multimillion-dollar invoices for government agencies while still picking my daughter up from preschool. Care isn’t separate from my career; it fuels it.”
Her experience embodies a truth policymakers are only beginning to acknowledge: caregiving is an economic engine, not a distraction from productivity.
From Caregiver to Change-Maker
Founded in 2016 after leaving a traditional 9-to-5, Boateng Creatives began as a remote-first project management and strategy firm helping government and private agencies modernize operations. As Kalema balanced caregiving and motherhood, she recognized a larger mission: transforming the way organizations support caregivers — especially women — in the workforce.
Over the past decade, Boateng Creatives has worked with a wide range of government agencies and private sector partners, managing over $16 million in grant operations and medicaments en vente libre prednisolone training more than 1,000 professionals. Kalema’s focus remains on putting action to policy — helping both public and private institutions implement sustainable systems that support the humans behind the work.
The firm’s signature “Protect Your Energy” framework integrates wellness and productivity, urging leaders to design structures that respect the humanity behind high performance and help employees maintain balance while meeting organizational goals.
A Strategy to Address the Millennial Care Gap
Boateng Creatives’ approach merges data with empathy. Drawing insights from NYC Aging’s Caregiver Program Concept Paper (2025), the firm helps organizations create practical systems that support employees balancing work and caregiving.
1.) Design Caregiver-Inclusive Workplaces:
Flexible hours, hybrid options, and workflow automation help employees manage both roles effectively. Boateng Creatives works with organizations to build structures that prioritize performance without neglecting personal responsibilities.
2.) Implement Awareness & Training Campaigns:
Many caregivers don’t recognize their role or know about available support. Through internal awareness efforts and leadership training, Boateng Creatives helps organizations promote understanding and ensure caregivers can easily access resources.
3.) Expand Financial Wellness Tools:
Caregiving often brings hidden financial strain. The firm assists in developing financial-literacy programs, benefits guidance, and micro-grant opportunities that help employees manage care-related expenses more confidently.
4.) Build Caregiver Equity in Policy:
True inclusion requires policy-level change. Boateng Creatives works with HR and leadership teams to integrate caregiving needs into benefits, leave structures, and organizational planning to promote equity and long-term retention.
When caregiving infrastructure improves, workforce retention rises, productivity increases, and gender equity advances.
From Crisis to Legacy
As the U.S. population ages, the caregiver crisis is expanding. By 2040, New York City will have 1.86 million residents over age 60, representing 22 percent of the city’s population.
Boateng’s mission is to change that trajectory by building ecosystems where caregiving and career coexist.
“Success isn’t success without a successor,” Boateng often says. “Legacy isn’t about titles or income — it’s about what you build that others can stand on.”
About Boateng Creatives
Boateng Creatives Consulting is a New York City-based, MWBE-certified firm specializing in project strategy, operations optimization, and caregiver-inclusive consulting. The firm partners with government and private clients to streamline systems and create human-centered workflows that align productivity with well-being.
Learn more at www.boatengcreatives.com or contact bc@boatengcreatives.com
Sources & References
Empowering Growth Through Purpose and Strategy
At Boateng Creatives, a leading consulting firm in New York, we help organizations, nonprofits, and creatives thrive through procurement consulting, MWBE certification support, and strategic project management. Our team combines operational expertise with a human-centered approach to help you build sustainable systems and unlock your full potential.
Whether you’re seeking NYC government contract consulting, guidance on how to get MWBE certification, or business operations consulting in NYC, we’re here to partner with you.
Explore Our Consulting Services, learn more About Us, or Contact Boateng Creatives to start creating purposeful impact today.
