Understanding Working Caregivers
Working caregivers are not uncommon in today’s workforce, and their numbers are expected to keep growing. Working caregivers often juggle 2 full time jobs:
- Providing care to a loved one
- Work / job
Dual responsibilities of working caregivers can be very demanding. A working caregiver may go from caregiving in the morning, working a full day, and then return to caregiving in the evening. This leaves little to no time to care for oneself or live one’s own life.
Challenges of a working caregiver
- Taking a loved one to the doctor or making some phone calls can often only be done during working hours
- Coping with emotional stress of a loved one’s decline and the grief that follows
- Navigating the health care system when advocating for a loved one can be difficult and overwhelming
A caregiver then may feel resentful about being a caregiver, and then guilty for having felt resentful. Other repercussions include:
- Managing the challenges of being a working caregiver can leave them exhausted and vulnerable to getting sick themselves
- Worrying about how they can manage their work and caregiving responsibilities
A working caregiver may forego their own needs (showering, doctor’s appointments, vacations, fun) because they feel there is not enough time to do those things and maintain their caregiving responsibilities.
An employee might be thinking about asking questions, but not be doing so for fear of losing their job. A supervisor needs to anticipate caregiver issues and be aware of what support you can offer!