Finding Work-Life Balance for Family Caregivers

Working family caregivers face unique challenges that can leave them exhausted, overwhelmed, and worried about meeting commitments both at work and at home. New research by Home Instead Inc. found working family caregivers report experiencing additional strain in multiple areas of their life including finances (60%), career (65%), physical and mental health (74% and 81% respectively), and ability to manage work-life balance (83%).

Per the survey, top stressors for working caregivers were:

Feeling torn between work and family responsibilities.  25% of respondents felt their supervisor was unsympathetic and 13% felt penalized due to caregiving activities.

Fear of losing job. More than a quarter felt their job was in jeopardy at some point during their caregiving journey.

Being forced to make changes. Many used up PTO for caregiving, putting their own health at risk or switched from full-time to part-time hours, adding to financial strain.

Struggling to do it all. The average working caregiver provides 13.8 hours/week of care leaving less time for balancing other important aspects of life.

However, being the best caregiver and employee requires you to take care of yourself. Following these six health tips can help:

• Recognize the signs of stress – let go of what’s out of your control and put an action plan in place to improve what you can.

• Guard against depression – ask your employer what benefits may be available for counseling and if you feel depression is an issue, talk to your doctor.

• Take a mini vacation – or at least regular breaks. Even short respite periods to decompress can help.

• Learn better communication techniques – be proactive in communicating challenges and needs; don’t be afraid to ask for help.

• Sleep, diet, and exercise – healthy habits in these areas are critical to maintaining health and life balance.

• Don’t go it alone – reach out to friends, family, support groups, and your faith community, or contact the local Area Agency on Aging for resources

Laura Kneeskern is a Home Care Consultant with Home Instead Senior Care Denver North. Home Instead is a nationally recognized leader in home care services, resources, and advocacy for senior issues. The Denver North location has been providing compassionate, professional in-home care services and resources to seniors and their families for over 17 years. www.HomeInstead.com/DenverNorth .