Balancing Career and Caregiving
Caregiver Career, Caregiver Health
Nearly 60 percent of all caregivers either work or have worked while providing care, and they often feel torn between both jobs. Caregiver jobs are not supposed to be unmanageable, however, trying to manage the two is rarely easy, and often the resulting stress causes reduced performance and quality of care. Here are some things you can do to better manage your caregiving and workplace responsibilities.
- Have a truthful discussion with your employer about the situation. Explain why you may have to turn down additional hours or extra projects. But also reinforce your commitment to the company and your accountability to your duties.
- Ask about flex time, job sharing, working part-time or switching shifts to better handle the demands of juggling work and caregiving.
- Consider other arrangements to make things easier, like coming to work early, staying late, working from home, or taking longer lunch hours to stop at home or to make personal phone calls. Brainstorm with your supervisor while reassuring him or her of your commitment.
Timesavers
- Reorganize your office for better work efficiency. Remove clutter, organize files, and get rid of old and outdated things you no longer need or use.
- Cut out unnecessary work-related commitments. Leave the holiday party planning to someone else this year.
- Track your personal appointments and your caregiver responsibilities on the same calendar to prevent you from overbooking your day. For example, can you get your hair cut at the same time the person you care for gets hers cut? When she needs her teeth cleaned, can you get yours done during the same visit?
- Enlist the help of programs like Meals On Wheels, which prepares and delivers hot and nutritious lunches to homebound seniors who are unable to prepare their own meals. There is usually no charge or only a small fee for this service.
- Save yourself from leaving work to drive your relative or friend to doctors’ appointments. Check out the availability of free or low-cost rides through the local Area Agency on Aging (AAA) or United Way. You often can find these services listed in the phone book under Senior Citizen Services.