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Managing The Stress ~ Making The Decisions ~ Discovering The Meaning |
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Caregiving |
Solutions To Your Caregiving Situations Throughout Your Caregiving Years |
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Caregiving or Your Career? Points to consider You're facing a big decision--one that comes after researching and exploring options. Here are some areas to address: --The budget needed to provide care at home in your absence. Will you better meet the budget if you work and hire in-home care? Or, quit your job to stay home and provide the care yourself? Your budget should also include regular breaks for you. If you stay home, budget an amount to spend on services weekly so you can take a break. If you continue to work, still budget an amount for regular breaks, whatever you feel you will need. And, whether you continue to work or choose to stay home, budget an amount that provides for a two-week annual vacation for you from caregiving. --Community services. Are you taking advantage of all of the services available to your relative? Visit this site to see what services your aging relative is eligible to receive: www.benefitscheckup.org. How would availability of services, services you were not aware of, impact your decision? --Your caregiving personality. Will you manage at home, without heading out to the office every day? Do you enjoy the break from caregiving that your job provides? Or, will you be miserable at work worrying about your mom? Or, would a part-time job that allows you to get regular breaks from caregiving while pursuing a career and earning income work best for you? --Your future. How will a loss of income affect your future? --Input of other family members, friends, support groups members. What are their concerns for you? What suggestions, insights can they offer? --The length of time your care recipient may need your help. Can you afford to stay home for two years? Five years? As long as your care recipient needs you? In our most recent survey of family caregivers, almost 1/3 of respondents indicated that they expected their role as family caregiver to last another ten years. Would you be able to manage that long without a salary? With a full-time job? As you know, chronic illness and disability can be deceiving; longevity often cannot be predicted. And, there's no better cure than loving care from a family member. If you stay at home, be sure you understand how long you can manage without a salary. And, start making plans now for when that time comes, when you need a salary. Which assisted living facilities are good in your community? Which nursing homes provide the best care? Which home health agencies have staff qualified to care for your care recipient? --Your human resource department. Does your company offer flex time? Sabbaticals? Telecommuting? Job sharing? Family Medical Leave Act? What options does your employer offer? Would these options make caregiving and working easier? --Do you need a short period of time off from work, to find services, to hire in-home caregivers, to remodel your home? Would taking such a leave make it possible for your home to accommodate your care recipient so that you can return to work full-time? Sometimes, we tend to view solutions as being all or nothing, but the best solution may exist somewhere in between. --Assistance of other family members and friends. Would other relatives be willing to share the care, commit to a schedule of caregiving? (I know you're shaking your head "No", but why not ask? If they say no, you're in no worse shape than before you asked.) --If you quit your job, what provisions will you make for your own medical insurance? Will you have the insurance coverage necessary to ensure you stay healthy? --Sacrifices are always involved, whether you stay at home, take a part-time job, or work a full-time job. Which sacrifices can you live with? |
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