About 106 million U.S. adults, including 39% of working Gen Xers and 25% of working baby boomers, care for a family member in their home, according to Guardian’s 14th Annual Workplace Benefit Study. Elderly parents or relatives are most likely to receive this care. Nearly half (43%) of these caregivers work full time yet spend an average of 23 hours per week caring for their family members, up from 9 hours in 2020. With no decrease in working hours to offset the additional caregiving time, the dual responsibilities are taking a greater toll on caregivers’ physical, emotional and financial well-being.
Read: More helpful health stories
Discover: More informative family stories
Nifty50+ spoke with Jim Kordenbrock, gerontologist and owner of Home Instead, which provides in-home care for older adults in Southern California, about the difficulties working caregivers experience and ways to ease the strain.
Top Challenges Caregivers Face
Kordenbrock named self-care – or lack thereof – the No. 1 struggle he sees in the caregivers his company supports. With caregiving responsibilities often starting before work and ending long after the family member has gone to bed, caregivers simply don’t have time to focus on themselves.
“They’re not exercising, they’re not sleeping, they’re not eating properly. So their health can decline sometimes as fast as the person they’re trying to take care of,” Kordenbrock explained.
The financial aspects of caregiving are also difficult. Half of caregivers have felt negative financial impacts, according to the Guardian report, and many are taking on debt to provide care.
“A lot of people are doing more private caregiving because it’s hard to find help. At Home Instead, they pay for our services, obviously. But it’s expensive,” Kordenbrock said, calling the burden “utterly tremendous.”
That’s especially true for caregivers whose responsibilities have impacted their income during their peak earning years, which generally occur between ages 45 and 64, according to ADP Research. The Guardian report noted that caregivers often switch to freelance or gig work for the flexibility, or leave work entirely. It’s no wonder that family dynamics ultimately suffer – the third challenge Kordenbrock named.
“One sister or brother feels they’re doing everything, the other ones aren’t doing enough. That fighting can be very challenging and sad.”
Kordenbrock said the imbalance can lead the caregiver to resent less-involved family members. And spouses are not immune. Eighty percent of boomers who care for a parent experience marital strain, according to the Guardian report.
“Really think hard about how you want to attack this issue of taking care of your loved one,” said Jim Kordenbrock, gerontologist, noting that you should also plan how you’ll take care of yourself.
Advice for Working Caregivers
Half of the caregivers Guardian surveyed have not talked with their managers about their caregiving responsibilities. A good first step, then, is talking to your employer about possible caregiver support benefits.
Kordenbrock has additional advice to ease the burden at home.
- Create a plan. “Really think hard about how you want to attack this issue of taking care of your loved one,” he advised, noting that you should also plan how you’ll take care of yourself.
- Use respite care. A few hours of respite care twice a week might be all you need to attend to your own health and emotional and social needs. That’s so important that the VA offers a special respite program in addition to its home health program, Kordenbrock, who is a veteran, noted.
- Take advantage of community resources. “The Office on Aging is a great way to start. Almost every local government will have that, and they do a great job for you,” Kordenbrock said.
- Focus on the positives. Despite the difficulties, Kordenbrock has never had a client express regret over the time caregiving gave them with their loved ones, and. he doesn’t think he ever will. “It’ll never happen,” he said.
More from Nifty50+
- From Florida to NY – 7 great places to travel with extended family
- Want to be a better spouse? Get an exercise routine
- Why weight fluctuations matter in aging adults
- Just how long is “long” for long-term health care?