Balancing Work and Caregiving: Six Tips to Juggle Career Responsibilities and Demands at Home

November is “National Family Caregivers Month,” a time to acknowledge the more than 65 million Americans, more than 29% of the U.S. population, who provide care for chronically ill, disabled or aged family member or friend during any given year. In fact, an estimated 25.5 million of those caregivers face challenges as they struggle to balance work responsibilities with caring for their loved one, according to the AARP. Furthermore, gender roles are shifting as men begin to take on the role of family caregiver – a July Pew Research Center report says that 45% of caregivers are men—many of whom are still trying to hold down their day jobs.

“As our population ages and advanced medical technologies enable people to live at home with chronic disease and disability, an increasing amount of responsibility for helping seniors is falling on family caregivers – and for the employed, it can feel overwhelming,” says Judy Santamaria, the director of the Family Caregiver Support Program at the not-for-profit Visiting Nurse Service of New York.

“The good news is that many employers are becoming sympathetic to these demands,” she says. “It’s important for caregivers to be honest with their employer about their role at home to ensure they take advantage of any resources available. For example, some companies provide free information, referral services and flexible hours for caregivers.”

Judy Santamaria offers six tips to help caregivers balance caring for a loved one and their responsibilities at work:

GET TO KNOW YOUR BENEFITS.

Throughout the country, employers are offering a host of new programs to reduce the workload placed upon the adult children of elderly parents. Talk to your company’s human resources department to find out if your company has an elder care benefit option.

TALK TO YOUR BOSS.

Be sure your manager is aware of your situation and let him or her know that you are making every effort to fulfill your responsibilities at work. Maintaining an open line of communication will ensure that you have the same expectations. Don’t be afraid to ask for reasonable accommodations.

CONSIDER HOME HEALTH CARE.

Receiving care at home through a home care agency is an option that can ease the burden on both patients and caregivers. It’s an ideal choice for people who prefer to have their loved ones with them at home, rather than in a nursing home.

TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF, TOO.

Being responsible for another person’s health and care means it's even more important to manage your stress and personal health, especially if you are balancing caregiving duties and a full-time job. With such additional stress comes an increased risk for anxiety, depression, and a weaker immune system.

ASK ABOUT FLEXIBLE HOURS.

Many corporations are now moving toward a “virtual” workplace culture. Talk to your boss and your human resources department about some options that may work for your situation, such as working part-time, telecommuting or even a leave of absence.

JOIN A CAREGIVER SUPPORT GROUP.

Connecting with others in your situation can be the best way to manage your own emotions – like feeling guilty when you leave a loved one in the care of another to do something for yourself. If you are unable to leave your family member at home when the group meets, you might consider joining a telephone support group, like the weekly group VNSNY offers. Your church or synagogue may have helpful support groups, and there are many online support groups that are really quite helpful.

For a library of caregiver resources, including helpful videos, please visit www.VNSNY.org/caregiver. For more information about the Visiting Nurse Service of New York, call 1-800-675-0391 or visit www.VNSNY.org.