Balancing Work and Caregiving: Family Caregiver Support & Home Care Services

Balancing Work and Caregiving: The Challenges Family Caregivers Face

Balancing work and caregiving can be overwhelming. If you’ve ever had to reschedule a meeting to care for an aging parent or worry about your job security due to family caregiver responsibilities, you’re not alone. Many working professionals struggle with the demands of family caregiver support while managing a career. Home care services can offer relief by providing professional assistance, allowing you to focus on both your loved one’s well-being and your professional growth.

Research shows that one-in-five full time workers is also a family caregiver – providing care on a regular basis for a family member or friend who is aging, has a serious illness or has a disability. According to Working While Caring: A National Survey of Caregiver Stress in the U.S. Workforce, many of these full-time workers must go to part-time status or quit altogether due to their caregiving responsibilities.

“Caregiving can be extremely rewarding, but it can also be incredibly difficult,” said Sierra Goetz, co-founder and operations director at the HomeCare Advocacy Network (HCAN). “The responsibilities that come with caring for an aging loved one can take a heavy toll on a family caregiver’s physical and mental health, personal relationships and, in many cases, their job.”

How Family Caregiving Affects Your Job & Work-Life Balance

Sponsored by the Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregivers (RIC) , the study also showed:

• Employed family caregivers say their personal experiences with both their employer and their job while caring for a loved one are “stressful” and “difficult”.
• A majority of employed family caregivers have “frequently” or “sometimes” had to leave work early or take off from work for one or more days in a row, felt the quality or timelines of their work suffered, did not take on additional responsibilities or projects at work and experienced a loss of income due to caring for their loved one. 
• Nearly two in ten employed family caregivers said they had to quit their job, and more than four in 10 said they had to go part-time because of their caregiving responsibilities.
• The benefits caregivers say they used most (of those offered) and found most helpful are – flexible scheduling, remote work, reduction to part-time, job sharing and specialized caregiver services.

Family Caregiver Support & Home Care Services: Finding the Right Help

“At HCAN, we understand the challenges that come with caring for an aging loved one, and we’re here to help,” Goetz said. “No one can do it all, and when you can’t be there, we can. Our trained professional caregivers can help with transportation, meal prep, light housekeeping, personal care, Alzheimer’s care and more. Whether it’s a few hours a week or 24/7, we will work with you to develop a customized care plan that meets your family’s unique needs.” 

Struggling to balance work and caregiving? Explore family caregiver support and home care services designed to ease your stress and protect your career. Visit HomeCare Resources or contact your local HCAN-supported office today.