Morning Edition

Week One: Tuesday, April 17
Morning Edition host David Greene introduces the Family Matters series, and the three families profiled in the series. Pew researcher Paul Taylor explains the demographics and economic change affecting the "sandwich generation" and the gravity of financial decisions involving aging parents.

Week Two: Tuesday, April 24
Meet the Shamone-Gilmores, a "sandwich generation" family taking on a daunting and unplanned challenge: caring for a sick parent. This week's segments examine why families don't talk about planning for the future and what makes it so difficult, the choice to place an elderly family member in adult daycare, and the alternatives and costs of elder care.

Week Three: Tuesday, May 1
The Hunter-Christian family made a conscious decision to keep their grandmother at home no matter the costs. As Morning Edition host David Greene explains, the multi-generational family has innumerable financial and emotional decisions to make. How do family members make the decision to quit their jobs and take care of a parent full-time?

Week Four: Tuesday, May 8
The Martin-Hawkins family has developed a system of care for their elderly parent -- two sisters-in-law switch off every two weeks to keep Grandma at their homes. The family has made significant sacrifices financially. For others planning their futures as insurance premiums spiking this year, is long-term care insurance still worth it?

Week Five: Tuesday, May 15
While the Martin-Hawkins family provides in-home care for their aging grandmother, they also have two younger children preparing for college. How does the family pay for future college expenses, and what are the best ways to save?

Week Six: Tuesday, May 22
When an aging parent can no longer live in their home, how do you handle their real estate matters? Do you sell the home in a down market, hold on to the home, or rent it?

Week Seven: Tuesday, May 29
Morning Edition host David Greene examines the best tactics for families to plan for retirement.

Week Eight: Tuesday, June 5
In the final week of the series, Morning Edition ponders the future. Should families now expect to plan to care for their parents, and what is the government's role in assisting families who can't afford nursing homes or in-home care?