New Small Business Guide on Caregiving

At times, caregiving can feel like a full-time job. For many caregivers, though, their caregiving duties must be balanced with their paid job. For National Family Caregivers Month, AARP and Public Private Strategies have developed a free Small Business Caregiving Online Resource Guide to assist small business owners in creating family caregiver-friendly workplaces. This guide includes strategies to increase flexibility, connect employees to important caregiving resources, and provides other helpful workplace practices for family caregivers.

“The majority of family caregivers juggle both a paid job with their unpaid caregiving responsibilities at home,” Nancy Leamond, AARP Executive Vice President and Chief Advocacy & Engagement Officer. “Supporting these dedicated and experienced employees with smart business policies can benefit all involved, including the employers.”

This guide is informed by a recent AARP report, which reported that 7 in 10 employers are either caring for or have an employee who cares for a parent, spouse, partner, or friend with a chronic, disabling, or serious health condition. The study also found that while 1 in 5 have a formal, written policy on family caregiving, 94% of small business employers surveyed agreed that supporting caregivers is the right thing to do.

“Employees want to work for employers who understand their need for work-life balance and who provide flexibility so they can address family issues,” said Rhett Buttle, founder and principal of Public Private Strategies. “By offering resources for employers to make their policies more caregiving-friendly, we’re helping small businesses stay competitive in today’s workplace.”

Want to access the guide for yourself or your business? Visit the report for more information. The resource is free and doesn’t require an AARP membership.