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§
Caregiving
Information
§ Caregiving
in the workforce. §
Eleven
Reasons Why I Joined a Support Group §
The
Common Bonds of Caregiving §
Caregiver
Tips
§ Support Groups§
Resources
§
General
Information
Barber, Barton,
Clark, Comanche, Edwards, Finney, Ford, Grant, Gray, Greeley, Hamilton,
Haskell, Hodgeman, Kearny, Kiowa, Lane, Meade, Morton, Ness, Pawnee, Pratt,
Rush, Scott, Seward, Stafford, Stanton, Stevens, Wichita |
Caregivers in the
Workforce
Caregiving is a story of love, commitment, strength,
endurance, determination and courage. It is a job no one is trained to do
until they have to do it. It is a cherished American value. ·
The number of people who become caregivers is on the rise. About one
in three people provide some formal care to a friend or relative, and the
number is expected to grow to 39 million households by 2007. ·
The majority of caregivers provide care for a period of one to five
years. ·
Along with their caregiving duties, 64 % of caregivers work as full or
part-time employees. Caregiving
has an impact on careers. To respond to the demands of caregiving, employees
need time, money and information. Balancing work and family is never easy.
Each caregiver's job is different at work; different managers may be more
supportive than others. To live a balanced healthy life
one needs It benefits both employer and employee to work together to
provide support and solutions to the working caregiver. There are many things you can do as an employee and
caregiver to attain a balance between caregiving and work to make it a
win-win situation. It is important to locate all resources available to you
to maintain this balance. Finding Balance As a caregiver, one must first learn to take care of him
or herself. It only stands to reason that a person cannot help if they are
sick, too busy or unable to cope. As a working caregiver, achieving a balance between home,
work, and caregiving may require careful planning and cooperation from family
and friends. Here are a few steps to help you achieve that balance: Set Priorities ·
Decide what is important. ·
Do not forget your personal needs. ·
Separate time for family and for self. ·
Inform your supervisor or employer of your situation. ·
Make a plan that includes respite breaks for you. Include scheduled
time where other family members or friends help out. ·
Quality not Quantity - Make the most of the time you do spend with
your loved one. Consider home services to help with cooking, cleaning or
bathing so that your time with your loved one can be quality time. Family Meeting ·
Involve your children in planning for change. ·
Create a list of courtesies for family. ·
Encourage family to help with everyday tasks. ·
Keep a sense of humor Resources
Family and Medical Leave Act The
Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) provides a way
for employees to balance their work and family responsibilities by taking unpaid
leave for certain reasons. The Act is intended to promote the stability and
economic security of families as well as the nation's interest in preserving
the integrity of families. Synopsis of Law Employers
with 50 or more employees must grant an eligible employee up to a total of 12
workweeks of unpaid leave during any 12-month period for one or more of the
following reasons: ·
for the birth and care of the newborn child of the employee; ·
for placement with the employee of a son or daughter from adoption or
foster care; ·
to care for an immediate family member (spouse, child, or parent) with
a serious health condition; or · to take medical leave when the
employee is unable to work because of a serious health condition. (Source: Talk to Your Employer · Learn company policy about
caregiving. · Take advantage of flextime
policies. · Consider job sharing or part-time
work. · Talk to you supervisor about
caregiving issues. · Keep your work and caregiving
responsibilities separated. |
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SouthWest Kansas Area Agency on Aging,
Inc.
620-225-8230 • Older Kansan's Hotline 800-742-9531 • Fax: 620-225-8240 • SWKAAA@hotmail.com
Lostski Design Tuesday, June 12, 2007