Many of us work full time and are also busy with other responsibilities, such as raising children, managing their own homes, and engaging in social activities or hobbies. This makes taking on the role of a family caregiver in the event that a loved one suddenly has a condition or illness that requires regular care difficult. Taking on that role in addition to everything else necessarily requires sacrifice, as well as increased amounts of stress.
The amount of people in the United States saying yes to taking on the role of caregiver is having a major impact on the workforce and the economy. A recent survey published by the Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregivers has revealed that one in five full time workers is a family caregiver, either by choice or out of necessity. What this means is that they’re engaged in providing care on a regular basis to a friend or a family member with a serious illness, disorder, or disability.
Many families have it as an unspoken assumption that siblings, adult children, or other relatives will gladly lend help in the event that someone needs it. For other families, the financial realities of the costs associated with providing care will be the deciding factor. After all, care provided at home by a family member is far cheaper than assisted living or memory care facilities.
More pressingly, the COVID-19 pandemic led to the isolation of many seniors, leaving families wanting to keep their older loved ones at home for as long as possible. And while a noble decision, it can be fraught, as seniors worry about becoming a burden to their adult children.
An important step in managing caregiving is asking for help with what you need. Seek out your family members to work out ways to split up the work of caregiving. For example, ask any siblings you may have if they can have your loved one stay with them part of the time, maybe a few weeks out of each year. Or even just come by an evening or two each week to allow you some free time to relax and decompress.Friends, neighbors, and members of community groups your loved one is a part of could be sought out to help step in as well. And your spouse or any older or adult children could be pressed into service helping in any way they can.
The RCI survey showed that employed caregivers value flexible scheduling, remote or telework, and other options. Because of the increase in employed caregivers, more and more employers are seeing the value of providing support. So be open with your workplace and supervisors about your situation. Your boss or human resources department will be able to answer your questions as well as explain your company’s policies on family leave, flextime, telecommuting, and job sharing.
A study by MetLife revealed that working caregivers can lose out on an average of $700,000 over their working life due to lost wages, reduced pensions, and more. So it’s important to do your homework and encourage other family members to chip in, as they may not realize what serving as caregiver may be costing you.