Balancing Caregiving and Your Career: What Working Caregivers Need to Know
Balancing a job while caring for an aging parent or spouse is becoming more common — and more challenging. Today, more than 53 million Americans provide unpaid care to a family member, and nearly 6 in 10 caregivers are also employed. Many work full time while also coordinating medical care, transportation, meals, medications, and daily support.
The result is what experts now call the “working caregiver squeeze” — trying to meet the needs of a loved one while protecting your income, benefits, and long-term career goals.
The Hidden Costs of Caregiving for Working Adults
Caregiving affects more than free time. It often impacts:
- Work attendance and scheduling
- Career advancement and promotions
- Retirement savings and Social Security credits
- Employer-sponsored health insurance
- Emotional and physical health
According to the AARP and National Alliance for Caregiving, 61% of working caregivers report at least one work-related impact, including reduced hours, missed deadlines, job changes, or leaving the workforce entirely.
Even more alarming: caregivers lose an average of $300,000 in lifetime income and benefits when they scale back or stop working to provide care.
Workplace Support for Caregivers Is Improving — But Not Fast Enough
The Genworth Beyond Dollars report found that while the number of caregivers missing work has improved slightly, 70% still report job disruptions because of caregiving duties.
However, there are positive signs. More employers now offer:
✅ Flexible or remote work schedules
✅ Ability to use sick leave to care for a family member
✅ Paid family leave (varies by state/employer)
✅ Employee assistance programs for counseling, legal, and financial help
✅ Employer-sponsored backup care or subsidized in-home help
✅ Caregiver support groups and HR resource coordinators
Some workplaces even allow donated paid time off, where co-workers can transfer unused hours to an employee providing care.
As the U.S. population ages — and as millennials and Gen X enter high-caregiving years — experts expect these benefits to continue expanding.
Who Are Today’s Caregivers?
Caregiving is no longer limited to retirees or older adults. Research shows:
- Average caregiver age is now 47, down from 53 a decade ago
- 57% of caregivers are women, but the number of male caregivers is rising
- 1 in 4 caregivers is between ages 25 and 34
- Care recipients are younger too — average age 66, not 75+ as in past generations
That means caregiving often begins while a person is still in the peak of their career — not after retirement.
What Working Caregivers Can Do Now to Protect Career and Income
1. Know Your Workplace Rights and Policies
Review your employee handbook for:
- Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) eligibility
- Paid time off and sick leave rules
- Remote work options
- Flexible scheduling or job-sharing policies
- Caregiver-specific benefits (many employers now offer them)
If unsure, ask HR confidentially.
2. Create a Care Plan — Before Crisis Hits
Most people become caregivers suddenly after a medical event, which leads to panic decisions. Planning ahead allows you to:
- Arrange part-time or shared caregiving support
- Apply for benefits or long-term care programs (such as MaineCare)
- Secure powers of attorney and legal authority to act
- Identify when paid in-home care may be needed
3. Evaluate the Long-Term Financial Impact
Caregiving can affect:
- Retirement savings and employer matching
- Pension/401(k) vesting
- Social Security earnings history
- Future employability
Talking with a financial planner or elder law attorney early can prevent long-term loss.
Why Planning Matters for Both the Caregiver and the Senior
Most aging adults underestimate how much care they will eventually need — and most caregivers step in without a legal, financial, or medical plan in place. The result is:
❌ Work disruption
❌ Emotional burnout
❌ Financial strain
❌ Legal problems when urgent medical decisions arise
Good planning does the opposite. It protects:
✅ The caregiver’s job and income
✅ The senior’s dignity, safety, and long-term care options
✅ Family relationships
✅ Retirement and estate assets
We Can Help You Plan Before Caregiving Becomes a Crisis
If you are already a caregiver — or expect to become one — we can help you:
- Create legal documents such as powers of attorney and advance directives
- Develop a long-term care strategy, including MaineCare planning
- Protect income, assets, and retirement while caregiving
- Understand financial and legal benefits available to caregivers
- Plan for assisted living, in-home care, or nursing care
📞 Call our office at (207) 848-5600 or visit our CONTACT page to schedule a consultation.
