Working Caregivers-The Invisible Employees Newsletter

Brought to you by ieadvocates (invisible employee advocates)

Happy Fall! How are things going on your end?

Thank you for being here! Our newsletter is written to shed light on employees who juggle professional responsibilities with the demanding role of caring for family members. This employee segment, although large in numbers, has remained silent and hidden in the workplace. We need to help them be more visible and supported.

Whether you’re an employer, business manager, HR, or a working caregiver, this newsletter offers valuable insights along with win-win-win simple solutions to help implement meaningful change for organizations, employees who are caregivers, and their care recipients.

Table of Contents

• Working Caregivers-The Invisible Employees Newslet …

  • Happy Fall! How are things going on your end?

  • In the news:

  • Did you know? (Read our blog):

  • People and Companies In the spotlight:

  • Stories From Real Working Caregivers:

  • Recommended media content:

  • With gratitude, we share a book review:

    • Order Our Book Here

In the news:

Did you know? (Read our blog):

The U.S. Care Economy: The Huge Price Tag of Caregiving (Blog 10/21/24)

The cost of unpaid caregiving activities  in the U.S. is substantial. According to an AARP report on this issue, if unpaid caregivers were actually paid for the time and services they provide, it would cost a whopping $600 billion. Let’s look at the specifics that comprise this staggering figure.

Read blog here

People and Companies In the spotlight:

Episode 4: Breaking the Caregiver Stigma with Aisha Adkins

In this episode, we’re thrilled to be joined by Aisha Adkins, a powerhouse advocate for caregivers. Aisha shares her personal journey as a caregiver for her mother, discussing how she found her way into advocacy and the importance of supporting caregivers in the workplace. We dive into the stigma surrounding caregiving, the challenges of balancing caregiving and work, and why it's essential to normalize caregiving experiences on resumes.

Throughout our conversation, Aisha offers practical advice for both caregivers and employers on how to navigate caregiving with compassion and flexibility. We also touch on the importance of resources like hospice care and why employers need to rethink how they support their caregiving employees. Aisha’s insight is invaluable for anyone interested in creating a more inclusive and supportive work environment for caregivers.

Stories From Real Working Caregivers:

Former Wisconsin Governor Martin J. Schreiber is a dedicated and out-spoken advocate on Alzheimer’s disease, dementia and caregiving. He shares his caregiving experiences as a caregiver to his wife and high school sweetheart, Elaine, at events nationwide, offering humor, compassion and words of wisdom. His book, My Two Elaines: Learning, Coping, and Surviving as an Alzheimer’s Caregiver, has received widespread praise from the caregiving community and listed among Caregiving.com’s “best caregiver books.” His extensive public service includes roles as the youngest member of the state senate, lieutenant governor, and 39^th governor of Wisconsin. A native of Milwaukee, Marty and Elaine raised four children and have thirteen grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. He also helped Wisconsin Department of Health Services create a Dementia Friendly Employer’s Toolkit.

Read the entire interview here

Recommended media content:

PODCASTS

Twenty-Four Seven: A Podcast About Caregiving: Host Kitty Eisele.  What happens when you become a parent to your parents? That's what longtime NPR journalist Kitty Eisele had to figure out when she became a full-time caregiver for her dad. After moving back to her childhood home, she finds herself bewildered by the medical, legal, and emotional challenges of elder-care, to say nothing of the time her dad headed off on a 300-mile road trip without telling her. Kitty manages doctors' appointments and hospital stays, finds outpatient and assisted living options, and tries to keep her beloved dad safe and secure—all while figuring out how to pay for everything in a country that doesn't offer much support. Through audio diaries and conversations with friends and experts, Twenty-Four Seven explores how we help our loved ones live—and die—and what they mean to us.

VIDEOS

Lovebound (pilot episode 2024) is part of the Stories For Caregivers series . Produced by Bannister Bergen with the participation of TELUS Fund, Stories for Caregivers is an initiative designed to generate awareness, and build empathy and understanding about caregiving through the creation of uplifting and inspiring web series that showcase the inspiring work of caregivers across Canada. Lovebound ‘s story is about Alice, a recent college drop-out, who has shouldered the responsibility of being primary caregiver for her stepmother, Mara, for the last seven months. As she attends her first therapy session, she recounts what a day-in-the-life is like for an unpaid caregiver struggling to help her father make ends meet. In the largely silent days spent together, Alice does her best to make Mara comfortable and loved, while unknowingly neglecting her own self-care. The obligation to care for her stepmother while working a night job to support her father has taken an unanticipated toll on her mental health, leaving her lonely and bottled up. We want to thank Christa Haanstra for bringing this video to our attention in her Linkedin post.

BOOKS

My Two Elaines by Martin J. Schreiber. In My Two Elaines, author Marty Schreiber, former governor of Wisconsin, watches his beloved wife, Elaine, gradually transform from the woman he fell in love with in high school, and who diligently supported his political career, to the Elaine who knows she is declining and can’t remember how to cook a meal, and finally to the Elaine who no longer recognizes Marty or their children. One part love story, one part practical advice, this compelling book includes several unique elements such as excerpts from Elaine’s journal, recounting her thoughts, concerns, and frustrations as the disease progresses; A recurring feature called “What I Wish I’d Known,” which provides helpful takeaways for caregivers based on Marty’s observations about what he wishes he’d known sooner and done differently; A Q&A between Marty and neuropsychologist Dr. Michelle Braun, to equip caregivers with the right questions to ask and empower them to advocate for their loved ones and their own needs.

Beyond sincere, practical advice, My Two Elaines gives the reader permission to feel the full spectrum of emotions, including humor, even in the face of this relentless illness. And the book speaks to anyone touched by this disease–spouse, child, friend, or family member.

With gratitude, we share a book review:

We want to thank Dahlia Sizer who took the time to read our book and provide a thoughtful review!

This book is a roadmap for the compensation/benefits teams, CEOs, and employees. This well-written, easy-to-read book grabs the reader from the first page while providing a roadmap for those creating policies. Personally...I related to those stories, and I know everyone at some point in this journey of life who becomes an elder caregiver will find themselves in the words. Thank you, Selma Archer and Zack Demopoulos, for putting our journey and emotions into this well-written book.

Order your copy of Working Caregivers-The Invisible Employees book here. If you want to order a quantity of books for your leadership team and employees, contact us directly about discount pricing.

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