Tips for Those Dealing With Double Duty
Individuals who are part of the "sandwich generation" are juggling the responsibilities of working, caring for their children, and providing home care for their aging parents, thus causing them to bite off more than they can chew. The United States includes an estimated 34 million unpaid family caregivers for adults, typically older relatives, according to a study released by AARP.
Often times family members are forced to make the difficult choice between work and family: "Do I go to my 3 o'clock meeting or take Mom to the doctor?"
Managing both responsibilities can often increase stress while decreasing productivity in one or both of these tasks. According to national studies by MetLife Insurance and the National Alliance for Caregiving, nearly 65 percent of family members who worked while caring for an aging parent experienced conflict with their jobs, including tardiness, lost hours or income and the sacrificing of vacation time.
Other problems employed family caregivers face:
Career Stands Still....home caregiving responsibilities can mean missing out on promotions, training at work, opportunities for job transfers or relocation and keeping up with necessary job skills.
Loss in Wages.....income can be drastically cut as a result of caregiving obligations. In the national MetLife and AARP study, nearly two thirds of respondents said that caregiving had a direct impact on their earnings; the average loss in aggregate lost wages, Social Security and lost pension benefits was $659,139 over a lifetime.
Reduction in Savings and spending.....providing home care for a loved one can cause significant limitations to personal savings, spending, home improvements, vacations and/or investments.
Toll on Health....caregiving responsibilities can often take a toll on the family caregiver leading to increased absenteeism in the workplace, early job retirement and job turnover, not to mention becoming physically and mentally exhausted.
TIPS FOR BALANCING WORK WITH HOME CARE:
Find out if the employer must follow the federal Family and Medical Leave Act. If so, an employee is entitled to up to 12 weeks of unpaid time off annually to care for a parent with a serious health condition.
Long-distance caregivers shoulder an even greater burden of caring for an aging parent while meeting job demands. Employees should find out if they can work remotely for greater flexibility. For instance, an employee may be able to work from the home of the relative for whom they are caring.
Hiring a national home care and assistance agency is another solution for many families. They can provide in-home non-medical care, often at a fraction of the cost of an assisted living facility or nursing home. Services can include companionship, meal preparation, light housekeeping, grocery and errand services.
For more information on support for the family caregiver, and options for receiving home care services, check out the following resources:
The Free 2007 Adult Caregiving Show Me Guide by Right At Home and Secure Horizons www.rightathome.net
Download a free version of the Show Me Guide on this page.
Family Caregiver Alliance: www.caregiving.org
National Family Caregivers Association: www.nfcacares.org
AARP: www.aarp.org
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