header

 
A caregiver’s balancing act

Managing both can often increase stress while decreasing effectiveness in either or both tasks.

According to a national study conducted by MetLife and AARP, the number of employees caring for family members older than 50 is widespread and increasing. Nearly 25 percent of all households have at least one adult who has provided care for an elderly person in the past 12 months. In addition to caregiving responsibilities, about 64 percent of these family members are gainfully employed, creating a juggling act between work and care.

Unfortunately, most family caregivers often underestimate the time required for caregiving and the impact of that obligation on their work, which can impact employee relations in the workplace.

Career at a standstill
Responsibilities at home can mean missing out on promotions and training, opportunities for transfers or relocations, and chances to acquire and keep up with necessary skills.

Lost wages
Income can be drastically cut as a result of caregiving obligations. The MetLife and AARP study indicated that caregiving had a direct, negative impact on earnings for nearly two-thirds of respondents.

The average loss in aggregate wages, Social Security and pension benefits reported was $659,139 over a lifetime.

Caring for a loved one can also put significant limits on personal savings and spending, home improvements, vacations and/or investments.

Toll on health
Caregiving responsibilities can take a toll on the health of the caregiver, leading to increases in absenteeism in the workplace, early retirement and job turnover. This can lead to a loss in employee productivity and overall morale.

Economic loss for employers
Employers also lose money due to employees’ caregiving responsibilities. A previous MetLife study estimated that absenteeism, partial absenteeism, workday interruptions, eldercare crises and expenses associated with supervising employed caregivers conservatively average a total cost of $11.4 billion per year.

But all is not lost. If you or someone you know is facing any one of the above-mentioned problems, read on to find possible solutions. Help is available if you know where to look:

Employee assistance programs
A growing trend in care-giving options embraced by many employers around the country is the Work Options Group, a national employee assistance program that allies itself with centers and care-giving agencies to provide backup care in case of an emergency.

Major corporations often offer WOG to their employees to keep down the number of absentees due to care giving. As soon as an employee realizes he or she is in need of backup care for a child or senior, they call the national WOG hotline to arrange for a local caregiver to come to the home, allowing the employee to go to work. Employed caregivers should contact their human resources department to determine if this support program is already available or if there’s another program the company should look into.

National care-giving agencies
A second solution for support is to hire a national agency to provide in-home nonmedical care at a fraction of the cost of moving into an assisted-living facility or nursing home.

Services offered include companionship, meal preparation, light housekeeping, grocery and errand services, incidental transportation, personal care assistance and more. Some agencies are available 24/7, catering to varied work schedules. 

While there is no one solution to the challenges in the workplace posed by the caregiving epidemic, these steps can help workers balance their career and caregiving responsibilities while alleviating stress for both the caregiver and the person being cared for.

Make sure you understand the available options and use all the resources available in the area.

• Pam Warta, who writes for Health & Well-Being, owns a Comfort Keepers franchise with her husband, Dave, which provides home health care in Tracy. For information: 832-1333 or This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

• Cindy Gustafson, also of Comfort Keepers, co-wrote this column.