The Caregiver Cafe

52: Challenges Of Balancing Work and Caregiver Responsibilities.

May 31, 2023 Rosalind Jones
The Caregiver Cafe
52: Challenges Of Balancing Work and Caregiver Responsibilities.
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Show Notes Transcript

Balancing work and caregiver responsibilities can be a significant challenge, as it involves juggling multiple demands and responsibilities simultaneously.

This is a common struggle for many caregivers and in this episode, I share a couple of those challenges and how one can adjust their hours or seek the help they need from loved ones.

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00:01

Hey guys, how you doing today? Can I get you started with something to drink? Is your aging loved one home alone forgetting to take medicine or pay bills the Caregiver Cafe with Roz Jones has a menu of resources to serve your caregiver needs. As a caregiver. Roz understands your daily challenges. This podcast focuses on the unique and dynamic issues of caregiving.


00:24

Hello, and welcome to The Caregiver Cafe. I am Roz Jones, and the host of the show and today's episode, we're going to talk about the challenges of balancing work and caregiving responsibilities. This is a common struggle for many caregivers trying to balance the demands of work as well as trying to take care of the needs of the loved ones, not only of your aging parents, but then also to of your husband and maybe of your children. 


So this is not only a balancing act, but you're probably juggling. And so let's talk about some of those things. Okay. So one of the biggest challenges, find a finding the time to provide care, finding the time to provide care.


 If if I gotta get past six o'clock in the morning, take the kids and put them on the bus, then I still got to get my husband out, excuse me, When am I going to find time to even get my parents up? Or to take care of them? And so the biggest thing is that how do you adjust your hours? Or how do you get help to do this? Now? Are you able to adjust hours, these are things that you got to sit down with your family and talk about, okay, we have this responsibility now. What can we do realistically, and what can't we do? 


This is so important. A lot of times we just take it on, you know mom did for me when I was little and now I gotta do for her and I gotta jump in like she jumped in? Well, taking care of people 50 years ago, is different than taking care of taking care of someone in 1960s is ifferent and taking care of someone in 2023. Let me just say that is a huge difference because still back maybe in the 50s and 60s, it might it might have been a one salary household household, but now you have two people who are working. So it's different, that the makeup is different the the economy, everything is different, the economy is different. So the challenge of finding that time finding the time to take care of someone. Now after you sit down and you talk to your family, this is what we can and can't do, then you need to bring in the person who was you're going to take care of mom, dad, whoever uncle Earl, this is what we can do and this is what we can't do. 


So now we need to make a decision, time Time is is very important. It's important that you take your medicine at the same time every day, it's important that you eat and hydrate and have companionship, what are we going to do to make sure that you are accommodated and also to that I can still manage, you know, my home, and my husband and my family. So this is something that we need to look at number one is time is time? How are we going to manage this time and so once again, an open line of communication to talk about time so far as needs versus what you can provide. When you're talking about time and manage managing, balancing work with the challenges of caregiving, it's time versus needs. Do I have the time to take care of all your needs? 


This is so important. Okay, another challenge and managing, taking care of of your loved one, is your productivity at work? Are you going to be at work worrying about okay, is my loved one, okay? Are they taking their medicine, you know, all this is going on in your head, and you can't focus on work. So this is why it is so important to make sure that when you make this decision, you have to be realistic and have open communication and let them know this time when you need me. I'm not available, because I have to be at work and if there's an opportunity at work, can you have flexible hours? Will your job allow you to have flexible hours but you can work at home in the morning, get everything taken care of and you know, work from home and then are and then in the afternoon, you know go to work. Do you have that flexibility? Some jobs may say yes and some jobs may say no. 


But because of COVID, people are understanding employers are understanding how employees need this flexibility and they are more productive when they are not so stressed about you know, being labeled about being a caregiver and taking care of the loved one. So a lot of times the employers not all but a lot of times Employers are more flexible. So sit down and talk to the employee and say, This is what I'm looking at, this is what I'm challenged with. And this is the plan, go to them with the plan, go to them with the plan and say, Hey, this is what I'm thinking about. Because I have this new challenge at home. If you go to them with the plan, more than likely, they're like, oh, okay, you know what I did take care of my loved one, or you know, I know someone or whatever. And they are more open when you come to your plan versus like, oh, woe is me and you know, you're trying to throw it off on the the employer. 


Be proactive, be proactive, and make a plan and show them that yes, I still can do the same amount of work. But under under these circumstances, if you allow me to do it, if you allow me to do it, and then balancing work, and caregiving requires help from others. This may include hiring a service like mine, or even a private caregiver, because there's going to be times when you can't be there all the time. And as your loved one health declines, you may need more help. And you may not have that flexibility at work, to either work from home or to work half at home and half at work. So these are things that you have to look at and if you have to hire a caregiver is best to hire a caregiver earlier in the process versus later, is best to hire a caregiver, when you are trying to balance work and your caregiving responsibilities earlier in the process than later. 


And the reason why I say earlier is because when you have a caregiver that takes the stress off, number one, then you're not burned out, then you're not worried about if, if my loved one is at home safe and secure, and you're not overwhelmed. So that's another reason why it's important to look at these challenges and address them. 


And then, you know, make sure that you recognize make sure that you recognize that you need support, make sure you recognize that you have options and resources and the support to help you don't try to be you know, Superman, Superwoman, or superhero. Wear a badge of valor and think you can all you can do it all by yourself. You can't. I don't know who told you that but it's not true. If you can, please show me because I haven't I haven't seen it. And I've been working in the business now for more than 15 years so balancing work, and caregiving responsibilities can be difficult and sometimes an overwhelming task, but with the right support and resources, you can be a successful caregiver. So once again, I just want to say thank you so much for joining the caregiver cafe. I'm Roz Jones and until next time, take care.


07:54

Until your next visit to the caregiver Cafe connect with Roz on YouTube, LinkedIn and her blog at the caregivercafe.net. The Caregiver Cafe podcast specializes in serving those who provide care and support to a sick or aging loved one. I'm the voice guy, but I'm one of you. So when Roz has on experts or frontline workers, I'm listening. We hope you've enjoyed the show. In the meantime, don't forget to connect with Roz on YouTube, LinkedIn or at the blog at the caregivercafe.net