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Caregiving, Career, or Both?

 

It’s been proven that people are living longer lives. Many are starting to feel the burden that comes along with caring for an aging parent. And it is being felt in the workplace. It has even been dubbed “the silent productivity killer”.

 

Caregiving can affect any worker-male or female, managers, CEO’s, entry level, etc. The problem tends to go “invisible” as workers are often afraid to reveal the fact that they are having to tend to their aging parents. They feel they may get fired, demoted, or passed up for a promotion. It is important, now more than ever, that companies and HR professionals understand the challenges these types of employees face and work with them to develop a strategy that works for both. Some large organizations are now offering “eldercare benefits” and I expect that more companies will begin to do so in the next few years.

 

It’s reality that eldercare directly affects the workplace. Missed days of work, interruptions, stress, turnover, loss of concentration, and strained employee/manager relationships. Family caregivers need a flexible work environment, such as working from home, varied hours, or shared work responsibilities. But it’s not always that easy, especially in today’s world.  

 

At Home Personal Care has several patients that we care for simply because the family, whether it’s the daughter or son or both, has to maintain their work schedule and are unable to remain home to care for their parents. Maybe they are business owners, or maybe they hold a management position and oversee several employees, taking time off to care for an aging parent full time is not an option. Even just trying to coordinate and research home care or other options, scheduling doctor’s appointments, or filling out applications is personal time taken away from the family whether it is done on personal time at home or discreetly done at work.

 

Many employers do not assist with coordinating elder care and many employers do not even know there are caregivers that exist within their organization. Action needs to begin now to bring awareness to companies so that all aspects of caregiving are covered. Employers need to find solutions for their caregiving employees, whether it’s providing elder care benefits, having resources such as home care available when an employee needs guidance, or increasing their flexibility in options for their employee. Employees need to also find solutions within their work lives that allow them to assist with aging parents but also remain productive within the work force.



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