My phone buzzes with a new text: "Where are my pain patches?"

Before I can respond to Mom, another message pops up from my son: "Uniform pants are dirty. Can you wash them?"

Five minutes later: "Sent me the wrong kind of pain patches!"

Followed by: "Can you make more lunches? I already ate two today."

Then: "What is this about a donated recliner? I don't want it."

And: "Do I have physical therapy today?"

Almost immediately: "Can you also buy Ritz crackers? Not the generic ones."

Later: "I don't have gas. Can I take your car?"

From Mom again: "Phone is not working. Sent you three messages about patches."

This isn't an unusual day. This is every day—the constant stream of needs from two directions that defines life in the sandwich generation.

I'm Not Alone (Even Though It Feels Like It)

It turns out there are a lot of us on the receiving end of these requests from our kids and our parents—more than half (!)  of America, according to recent Pew Research data. But finding help that doesn't just add to our- long!- list is a challenge. Until now.

Real Support That Actually Supports

After what felt like years of drowning in requests from both generations, I discovered Duckbill. It’s a service that blends AI with human expertise, making the most of both.

What makes Duckbill different from all of the other tools you’re inundated with? t adapts to the unpredictable nature of dual-direction, multi-generational caregiving. It learns patterns, anticipates needs, and provides genuine help, not just another system to manage.

For Mom: Wrangling Needs, Wishes, and Wants

The “pain patch saga” is emblematic of caring for my 88-year-old mother. After the third "wrong patches" incident, Duckbill helped me set up automated deliveries. Now, her Amazon orders go straight to her house, and we get the right patches every time.

When Mom finally agreed to transition from a walker to a wheelchair—a decision that took months of gentle persuasion—Duckbill helped navigate the labyrinthine process of insurance approval and vendor coordination. Instead of dozens of calls, it became a smooth process with clear reminders and steps.

Though resolving these day-to-day bumps increased both of our quality of life significantly, the big moments are being prioritized, too. Perhaps most meaningful was organizing a surprise for Mom's 88th birthday. Most memorably, Duckbill helped organize Mom's 88th birthday surprise. It coordinated travel for family across the country all while consistently maintaining her care routine. The joy on her face when everyone arrived was worth every minute of behind-the-scenes coordination.

For My Son: Managing the Constant Stream

My teenage son communicates in urgent bursts. "Do I have physical therapy?" arrives while I'm on a work call. "Uniform pants are dirty" comes just as I'm pulling out of the driveway for an appointment.

Duckbill now manages his complex schedule of games, practices, and physical therapy appointments. When the inevitable "lost mouthguard before the game" crisis hit, Duckbill helped source a replacement and arrange same-day delivery—all while I was on hold with Mom's insurance company.

For a teenage athlete, as long as there is enough food, the rest pretty much falls into place. Duckbill set up grocery deliveries for our weekly batch-cooked lunches and other staples, ensuring there's always food for extra lunches or snacks for friends.

As college looms, they’re helping research SAT prep tools and track application deadlines—tasks that would otherwise fall between the cracks of more immediate chaos and caregiving.

A Big AI Advantage

Duckbill learns and anticipates needs. The AI side analyzes routines, calendars, and family information to suggest or automate tasks like check-ups and prescriptions, and the humans maintain the logic, empathy, and, well, humanity, that we all deserve.

It schedules medical appointments, sends reminders, and helps with follow-ups. It coordinates family calendars, ensuring important events, school activities, and doctor visits never conflict: an art, if you know the struggle!

Finding Moments of Peace in the Panini Press

Being in the middle of the sandwich (which often feels like a panini, pressed from both sides and getting crispy around the edges) often means self-care is gets pushed (squeezed?) aside.

With Duckbill helping to manage household errands like grocery shopping, bill payments, and home maintenance, it frees up time for small acts of self-preservation and helps make them happen: scheduling hair and manicure appointments, researching solo travel deals, finding a great acupuncturist or massage therapist nearby. Or giving me a moment to take a breath between the text messages.

As we hear on every flight, before helping others, always put the oxygen mask on your own face first. Duckbill is my oxygen mask.

Plus, it's taught me a new trick: setting up a calendar alert every week for a 15-minute "Duck It" session where I look at the Duckbill tasks I have running along with the calendar for next week and adapt accordingly. It doesn't silence all the noise from my family, but it provides a welcome accompaniment to sandwich life - a nice side of chips, you might say.