Caregiving. Make phone calls to check in on a loved one? Drive a family member, friend or neighbor to doctor appointments?

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1 Caregiving Are you a caregiver? Do you regularly: Make phone calls to check in on a loved one? Drive a family member, friend or neighbor to doctor appointments? Make meals for someone? Help someone with household chores such as meal preparation, cleaning and grocery shopping? Assist someone with personal business affairs, such as bill paying? Provide hands-on care, such as bathing or assistance with eating? Help someone to make decisions about healthcare? If you answered YES to one or more of these questions, then you are a caregiver. You are not alone. There are an estimated 15.9 million caregivers in the U.S. who also work full-time. Most people who provide care for a friend or loved one do not think of themselves as a caregiver. 60 An Employer s Guide to Work Life Programs and Policies

2 Serious Illness Facing a serious illness can affect every part of your life. You may experience new emotions or develop spiritual questions; you also may notice physical changes. Remember that your reactions are real and individual, and that information and support is available to you. + Talking about illness can be difficult, whether with a dear friend, a family member or a co-worker. + Remember that the person who has a serious illness is still the same person most people say they don t want to be defined by their illness. + Listen with respect and empathy. + Admit that you do not know what to say. It is okay to acknowledge that talking about illness is difficult. + Respect the person s privacy. Try not to ask a lot of questions, and let him or her decide how much to share. Talking about illness can be difficult, whether with a dear friend, a family member or a co-worker. Caregiving l Serious Illness l Grief and Loss l Advance Care Planning 61

3 GriefYou May be Grieving. Are You: Withdrawing from social or work activities you once enjoyed? Having difficulty focusing on job tasks and making decisions? Feeling angry at a situation, at a person or in general? Having difficulty sleeping? Feeling exhausted and anxious? Having a lack of appetite? There is no right or wrong way to grieve after a significant loss. Grief can be experienced emotionally, physically and/or socially. If you have experienced the death of a loved one at home or a colleague at work, you may be grieving. 62 An Employer s Guide to Work Life Programs and Policies

4 Advance Care Planning Making Future Healthcare Decisions Advance care planning is making decisions about the care you would want to receive if you were to become unable to speak for yourself. + Have you talked to loved ones about your wishes for end-of-life care? + Have you completed a living will? + Have you selected a healthcare proxy? If you answered NO to any of these, then consider getting information that will help you make decisions about end-of-life care and services before you face a crisis. Talking about the end of life can be difficult, whether with a dear friend, a family member or a co-worker. Caregiving l Serious Illness l Grief and Loss l Advance Care Planning 63

5 Employee Newsletter Article Caregiving Are you caring for a loved one? + Do you regularly assist someone with personal business affairs, such as bill paying? + Do you help to coordinate a loved one s medical care, even though he or she lives three states away? + Do you provide daily assistance for a loved one who lives with you? Whether you are running weekly errands for an ill neighbor or providing full-time personal care to a loved one, you are a caregiver. You may be struggling to balance the competing demands of caring for a loved one and managing a career. According to a recent study by MetLife, 44 million Americans are unpaid caregivers for an adult relative or friend, and the majority of those who are caring for someone 50 or older are working, most full-time and many others part-time. Every caregiving situation has different challenges and rewards. Caregiving responsibilities do not fit in neatly after the workday hours. Often you might need to make a phone call for someone or accompany your loved one to a doctor s appointment during the hours of your workday. It is possible to balance these often competing responsibilities and get the support you need. Talk to the human resources department to find out about policies, work life programs and Employee Assistance Programs that can support you. Visit or call (800) or (877) (Spanish) for more information about caregiving and the workplace. 64 An Employer s Guide to Work Life Programs and Policies