Family Caregivers worried about going back to work
As many companies start to resume “office” work, many people that took the responsibility of being the family caregiver are getting stressed out about going back to work. "As caregivers go back to the office, they have a new set of stresses to deal with,” says Bob Stephen, AARP’s vice president of caregiving and health.
There are many different concerns but many focus on how their loved ones will suddenly fare without their family caregiver. The lack of help at home was suddenly replaced with a constant presence during the pandemic. And people are worried about leaving the house to go back to work.
"We hear family caregivers who worked weren't comfortable telling a manager they help someone,” says Stephen. “During the pandemic it became more normal to talk about caring for a loved one. [There was] greater acceptance among employers and more awareness about caregiving."
Among the report's key findings about working family caregiver concerns:
Stress levels are alarming. Some 8 in 10 caregivers say the pandemic has increased their overall level of stress. After all, some 6 in 10 caregivers say that they are hourly workers, which typically makes it more difficult for many of them to work from home. Almost 7 in 10 caregivers say their job is “essential."
Responsibilities are growing. Two-thirds of caregivers expressed concern that they will have trouble juggling their responsibilities in the next 12 months. Some 75 percent say they are worried about managing dual responsibilities once they return to the office. And 20 percent say they expect “great difficulty” in managing their responsibilities.
Workplace flexibility is critical. More than half of caregivers say they received flexible schedules — and were able to work from home at least part-time — since the pandemic. And more than 4 in 10 say they would consider looking for a new job if their employer rolls back these benefits.
Fear of exposure is relentless. Working caregivers are very concerned about exposing the person they care for to the coronavirus or leaving them home unattended while they go to work.
When it’s ok to seek for help
Balancing work and personal life have always been a challenge but more so, after the pandemic. And it’s ok to seek help. As family caregivers, we feel the responsibility towards our beloved ones but we, also, have to understand that we also have our own personal limits. Looking for assistance is not a sign of weakness or neglect to our family. Sometimes, we need an extra hand.
Evelyn Saplala, from Home Care Services of Illinois, tell us that “many people feel bad when they call us, they feel they are giving up on a family member, but outsourcing a caregiver can take a lot of the stressful work out of your own routine. We have to care of ourselves to be able to take care about others”.