What Supervisors Need to Know

One out of five of your workers is a caregiver. The chronic stress of these valued employees can adversely impact their health, as well as your organization’s productivity and bottom-line. If any of those you supervise are juggling work and caregiving responsibilities, contact Caregiver Action Network for help!

Family Caregivers…

Care for family, friends, or neighbors who are ill, disabled, elderly, or special-needs children.
Help care receiver manage key aspects of daily lives: physical care, emotional or social support; help manage personal or household affairs…without pay, and often with little preparation, or support from others.
Act as primary or as a “back-up” caregiver; are involved full or part-time; may live with, separately or at a distance from the one receiving care.
Are typically: a 49-year-old woman; spending about 24 hours/week caring for a 69-year-old female relative; for about 4.6 years.

Caregiving is a universal experience.

There are only four kinds of people in the world:

Those who have been a caregiver
Those who currently are
Those who will be
And those who will need a caregiver.

Source: Rosalynn Carter Former First Lady and Founder, Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregiving

Why care for caregivers?

1. Caregivers are a huge, rapidly growing demographic.

There are approximately 90 million caregivers in the US.
That is 39% of adults in the U.S. (2 out of every 5 adults); in 30% of US households; and comprising 20% of the workforce.
Today’s population of more than 35 million elderly will double by 2030 to about 70 million.
The percentage of adult children caring for a parent has tripled over the past 15 years; the need for elder care will continue to grow as the population ages.

2. Caregiving takes a toll on individuals.

Physical: Chronic stress erodes the immune system, which leads to both minor and major illnesses. Poor health behaviors (sleeping, eating, exercising, visiting a doctor) undermines caregiver health.
Emotional: Chronic stress contributes to mental health issues. The use of prescription medication for anxiety or depression is 2-3 times more than in the general population. About 60% report depression.
Financial: Spend $10,000 annually for out-of-pocket costs. Average lost lifetime wages, pension, and Social Security benefits for caregivers over 50 is about $300,000.
Interpersonal: Feelings of isolation and family struggles are common. Caregiver strain is directly influenced by family conflict and disagreements, by changing roles and unequal distribution of caregiving tasks.
Occupational: 70% are employed full or part-time; 60% report the need to make workplace adaptations: Rearrange schedule; cut hours; take unpaid leave; forgo promotion; resign or retire early.

3. Employers bear costs associated with caregiving employees.

Lost productivity: Estimates show that 20% of the workforce who are caregivers is 29% less productive. Cost of lost productivity is valued at $2,100-$2,400/caregiver/year. Research shows the overall cost to US employers is between $17-34 billion/year.

Increased health benefits costs: Annually, costs rise an average of 8%/caregiver. They are 11% higher for blue-collar workers and 18% higher for male caregivers.
More family-related discrimination cases: In the years 2000-2010, litigation was up 400% for workers caring for children or aging parents. Average verdict = $500, 000.

4. Society reaps significant benefits from family caregivers.

Nation: Estimates say caregivers contribute $470-$522 billion in “free” care to the US economy each year.
Health System: Families provide 80% of all US home care, much more than the US health care workforce could assume. Family caregiving delays, or completely avoid the need for costly, labor-intensive institution-based care.

5. International Carers / Caregivers

16% of Europeans provided full-time (3%) or part-time (13%) care in 2011, of which 40% reported that they had to provide care for an adult with care, or support needs.[1]
Among workers aged 50–64, 18% of men and 22% of women provide care at least once a week.[2]
Caring for a highly dependent person often involves the reduction of working hours or rates of employment.[3] Consequently, carers of working-age are at a higher risk of poverty with women being the most vulnerable. Furthermore, studies find that there is a relation between intensive care and a worsening of the caregiver’s mental health.[4]
Caring for a highly dependent person often involves the reduction of working hours or rates of employment.[3] Consequently, carers of working-age are at a higher risk of poverty with women being the most vulnerable. Furthermore, studies find that there is a relation between intensive care and a worsening of the caregiver’s mental health.[4]