By Rebecca Mild Williams, licensed professional counselor, certified employee assistance professional, INTEGRIS Corporate Assistance Program

How many times have we said to ourselves, “I don’t know what I’ll do if something happens to mom or dad, grandma or grandpa.” For many, the dreaded time when a family member becomes sick or disabled has arrived, presenting all the challenges of caregiving. Caring for a family member may not sound so difficult, but since 71 percent of all caregivers are employed full-time and more than 40 percent also care for children under 18, the additional responsibilities can easily overwhelm a family (statistics from The National Family Caregivers Association, 2000). Studies indicate that caregivers dedicate an average of 18 hours a week to caring for the family member.

Balancing work demands and family needs can take a toll on the caregiving employee. Almost all employees providing care reported at least one adjustment to their work schedules. They made more phone calls, arrived late/left early, or used time off during the day, making up work in the evenings or on weekends (The Metlife Juggling Act Study, 1999). This situation will make more employees and their family members vulnerable to complications such as family discord, parent–child issues, marital issues, stress-related illness and financial problems. Additionally, many caregivers avoid work-related travel, job transfers and additional training because of time constraints and the need to be close to family, making them less likely to improve their job status and income.

The prevalence of personal and job-related issues relating to caregivers is on the rise.

What can be done to minimize the impact of this trend? Employees are providing valuable feedback to their employers about their needs as caregivers.

• 65 percent of employees surveyed wanted easier access to flextime.
• 60 percent felt pre-tax spending accounts would ease financial challenges.
• 56 percent agreed that a phone number for advice would be beneficial.
• 52 percent thought that elder care and workplace seminars would help.

• 96 percent – A policy allowing flexible use of sick leave, vacation leave and family leave for end-of-life situations.
• 89 percent – Referrals for information about counseling or bereavement services.
• 84 percent – Educational materials dealing with end-of-life decisions.
• 82 percent – Referrals to professionals for information about medical care.
• 82 percent – Referrals for legal information (Last Acts 1999. Research findings from studies with companies and caregivers.)

Fast Fact: Women are the primary recipients and providers of long term care (Family Caregivers in the U.S., 1997).

Business has responded to many employee needs through employee assistance services, which not only include mental health counseling, and legal and financial services, but also provide elder-care referrals for many employees and resources for the caregiver. Also, human resource departments often work to help employees manage their work time and time off. As the number of caregivers increases, and resources are stretched thin, more creative approaches will need to be considered.

Some newer ideas include onsite elder care programs, adult daycare, greater use of the Internet for information and referrals and workplace interventions such as case management. Many organizations already offer 24- hour telephone services for information and advice. Considering allocating more money to caregiver support and education is in the works for many businesses.

We will all have to work together to meet current and future needs of our work force and their aging family members. Reaching out for information and support is healthy and you might be surprised at the help you will find!

Suggestions for caregivers

• Don’t keep your situation to yourself. Let others know what you’re trying to do.
• Find out about support services available through your employer.
• Have someone not involved help you set realistic goals for how much you can do for your loved one.
• Watch out for feeling sorry for yourself or acting like a martyr. While moments of this are normal and expected, when it lasts for weeks, it’s a problem.
• Grieving while your loved one is still alive is normal. They are changing and becoming less able to be there for you. Be patient with yourself and take time to grieve.
• Plan your own schedule to check in with your loved one.

The ACS recommends that men ages 50 and older have a yearly fecal occult blood test and a sigmoidoscopy every five years.

Suggestions for long-distance caregivers

• Have important information close at hand and make copies for anyone else in the family who may be required to assist.
• Medical information including doctor(s), medications and diagnoses.
• Contact numbers for insurances, utilities and business associations.
• Phone numbers of neighbors or close friends. Make sure they have your contact numbers as well.
• Contact a local center for aging and find out about the resources in the community in case your loved one has such a need.

Many times communities offer free programs regarding specific health issues.

Have pre-scheduled times to call so they feel connected and can look forward or make notes regarding information they wish to share.

Call a family meeting, even if members live out of state. Perhaps a conference call would work.

Fast Fact
The Family Medical Leave Act grants eligible employees up to 12 work weeks of unpaid leave during any 12-month period for any of the following reasons: the birth and care of a newborn child; the placement of a son or daughter for adoption or foster care; to care for an immediate family member (spouse, child or parent) with a serious health condition; or to take medical leave when the employee is unable to work because of a serious health condition (U S. Department of Labor).

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