Balancing caregiving responsibilities and the workplace

Research has shown that family members provide most of the care for their frail or chronically ill aging loved one rather than long-term care institutions or formal service providers such as home care agencies. It is estimated that family caregivers provide 80 percent of the long-term care in this country. This type of care is often referred to as “informal” services. Typically, informal family caregivers are women between the ages of 45 & 65, with 79% over the age of 50; 40% of caregivers are men; approximately 15% provide care to someone who lives more than 1 hour away; care provided is usually to a parent or grandparent and unpaid; an estimated 21% of all US households provide care for an adult family member; they take care of other adults, most often parents or spouses who are ill or disabled; they assist with basic Activities of Daily Living; they provide emotional, physical, and/or financial support

With eldercare becoming a growing issue for more working caregivers, having useful information about the resources available to help them meet the needs for their individual situations and knowing where to find it is imperative for maintaining the right balance.