Juggling Work and Family Caregiving

Caregivers Out Loud

28% of Canadians or 1.8 million people, provided care to a family member or friend with a long-term health condition, disability or ageing need in the past year. Three-quarters of this group (6.1 million) were employed at the time, accounting for 35% of ALL employed Canadians. More and more people are becoming caregivers and a lot of these caregivers are balancing employment and caregiving.

In today’s episode, we hear from Rachel, who not only witnessed at a young age her mother be a caregiver, but then found herself caring for her Mother in her adult life. Rachel is part of the ‘sandwich generation’, currently raising and nurturing her own child and family, maintaining a full-time job and caregiving for her mother in Ontario. Rachel is an employed caregiver. When we use the term ‘employed caregiver’ we do not mean someone with a formal job as a paid caregiver, but rather someone that manages paid employment and at the same time is responsible for caregiving for a family or friend.

Referenced Report:

• Vanier Institute of the Family Report, 2017, https://vanierinstitute.ca/download/10536/

Highlights:

• What it means to be an employed caregiver
• Being part of the sandwich generation - caring for children and caring for ageing parents
• Being a caregiver while maintaining a full-time job
• Challenges of caregiving within the workplace
• Key things that support work and caregiving

Resources:

• First Link Dementia Helpline https://alzheimer.ca/bc/en/help-support/find-support-bc/first-link-dementia-helpline
• Supporting a Family Caregiver (a friend, colleague and/or employee) in the Workplace Webinar https://www.familycaregiversbc.ca/video/supporting-a-family-caregiver-a-friendcolleague-and-or-employee-in-the-workplace/
• Work and Care Webinar https://www.familycaregiversbc.ca/video/work-care-a-balancing-act/
• Supporting Employed Caregivers Booklet https://www.familycaregiversbc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Support-an-Employed-Caregiver.pdf
• Strategies to Make the Workplace more Caregiver Friendly Tips and Tools for Employees (Canadian Hospice Palliative Care Organization) https://www.familycaregiversbc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Strategies-to-Make-the-Workplace-More-Caregiver-Friendly.pdf
• Tips and Tools for Employers (Canadian Hospice Palliative Care Organization) http://hpcintegration.ca/media/60791/TWF%20TipsTools-CHCA-Employers-FINAL.pdf
• Work and Caregiving: A Balancing Act (Ontario Caregivers Association) https://ontariocaregiver.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/OCO-Work-and-Caregiving-Toolkit-FINAL-Interactive-3.pdf

Connect With Us!

Family Caregivers of BC Website https://www.familycaregiversbc.ca/

Telephone: [phone] Toll-Free Line Within BC: 1-877-520-3267 Fax: [phone] Email: [e-mail]

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/FamilyCaregiversBC/

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/familycaregiversofbc/

LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/18122187

Twitter https://twitter.com/caringbc

Thank you!

BC Ministry of Health - Patients as Partners Initiative https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/health/about-bc-s-health-care-system/partners/patients

Organized Sound Productions http://www.organizedsound.ca/