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- It's All About Mother's Day and Caregiving
It's All About Mother's Day and Caregiving
Celebrating "everyone who gives, receives, and reimagines care every day"
ieadvocates
May 20, 2025
Working Caregivers-The Invisible Employees Newsletter
Brought to you by ieadvocates (invisible employee advocates)
Thank you for being here!
This past May 11th was Mother’s Day in the United States. Since 1914, the second Sunday of May is the day Americans celebrate people who are in mother and mother figure roles. It does fall on different days in other parts of the world (thanks to my LinkedIn friend Thomas Woodhams in the U.K. who kindly pointed that out to me! (E.g., “Mothering Sunday” in the U.K. is held on the fourth Sunday of Lent).
The Rosalynn Carter Institute For Caregivers wrote a very inspiring and insightful post in LinkedIn for Mother’s Day bringing attention to the power of care.
Care is an act of identity—an expression of who we are and what we value. Across the world, countless caregivers—mothers and others—are defining what it means to nurture authentically, embracing their roles in ways that challenge stereotypes and honor real, imperfect love.
They stress that motherhood (like caregiving) isn’t just a role but “a multidimensional act of connection, identity, and resilience that manifests in countless forms.” It comes with its own challenges and tolls:
Caregiving takes a toll—impacting women’s health, increasing stress, disrupting sleep, and mounting mental and physical strain. (CDC, MetLife)
Many women reduce work hours or face financial hardship—33% decrease their hours due to caregiving and are 2.5 times more likely to live in poverty. (MetLife, Rice University)
Let’s honor and recognize all those that mother in our lives and community as much as we can, not just on Mother’s Day, but every day!
Table of Contents
In the news:
Latest research, events, and articles that are making an impact for working caregivers and their employers.
Working moms share their favorite employee benefits
Lee Hafner shares six working mother testimonies from different companies and various levels in an organization on how benefits, policies and programs make all the difference for them as parents at every stage. Read the article here.
“In a study on modern motherhood by workplace research advisory firm ELIXR, working moms were asked how the right benefits can make or break their professional experience: 63% said offerings such as flexible work arrangements and caregiver support would strongly influence whether they stay in a job, and almost half say their current benefits don't align with their needs.”
The Sandwich Generation: Moms, Second Time Around
Deborah Salmon reports that one in every eight Americans aged 40 to 70 is both rearing a child (or grandchild) and caring, in varying degrees, for a parent. (The Pew Research) She puts a spotlight on the life of one of them. Read the article here.
Did you know? (Read our blog):
Our blog brings you knowledge, personal and researched, to raise your awareness and empathy about working caregivers and caregiving.
Work/Life Balance and Work/Life Integration Are Two Different Things (Blog 5/20/25)
In recent years, you may have heard of the debate between proponents of work/life balance (a concept introduced into the workplace in 1910) and those of a newer concept – work/life integration. You may be wondering what the big deal is. After all, “A rose by any other name,” right? Well, that’s not the case. In fact, these are two totally different ideas regarding how employees should accomplish their work and personal responsibilities. We might even say that these two conflicting ideas are direct opposites. Let’s start by getting a clear understanding of each of these concepts.
People and Companies In the spotlight:
Our podcast puts a spotlight on guests who are making a significant difference in the working caregiver space.
Episode 18: The Beautiful Side of Caregiving: Living with Meaning as a Working Caregiver with guest Ebony Travis Tichenor
In this episode, we sit down with the incredibly inspiring Ebony Travis Tichenor, a powerhouse advocate for working caregivers and someone who truly lives her life out loud. Ebony shares her deeply personal and powerful 17-year caregiving journey for her mother, all while balancing a full-time career and a full heart. We dive into what caregiving really looks like behind the scenes — the highs, the heartaches, and the healing — and how vulnerability has become one of her biggest strengths.
We talk about the unspoken emotional toll that working caregivers face and how important it is to find your voice, ask for help, and protect your joy. Ebony opens up about everything from the stigma around caregiving in the workplace to the little rituals of self-care that keep her grounded.
In corporate for almost 28 years this October, Ebony’s journey is grounded in resilience, identity, and heart. Born in Joliet, Illinois and raised in small-town South Texas, she proudly embraces her Black and Mexican heritage. Beyond the day-to-day, she loves caring for her mother as a devoted caregiver, being a loving spouse, fur baby momma, and a loyal friend to many. Ebony believes in real connection, purpose, and the power of showing up as your authentic self. Link to Ebony’s Instagram. Link to our newsletter article spotlighting Ebony’s LinkedIn post about National Caregiver’s Day.
Stories From Real Working Caregivers:
Actual working caregivers share their stories.
Meet Christopher MacLellan, a real working caregiver:
“ I don't want to give the impression that it was easy. There were a variety of issues along the way. Two and three hours a night of sleep, getting up and going to work the next morning, trying to explain being late. All those, balancing work and caregiving, finances, all those things that caregiving plays a role in. We dealt with that on a regular basis. I think the difference for me was I had supervisors that understood. ”
Christopher MacLellan is the author of "What's The Deal with Caregiving" and the founder of The Whole Care Network. Chris' thesis, "Caregiving, Stress and it's Impact in the Workplace" was accepted by the facility at Gonzaga University where he earned a master degree in Leadership and Communication in 2015. An avid podcaster and caregiver advocate, Chris focuses on life after caregiving while Aging Gayfully.
Recommended media content:
We explore and share with you diverse media illuminating the dynamics and narratives within the care economy - from insightful podcasts to thought-provoking books and engaging videos.
PODCASTS
The Whole Care Network (WCN) Podcast Directory has over 60 podcasts that cater to the care economy. WCN is based on founder Chris MacLellan’s experience as a working family caregiver and the passion he gained through advocacy and collaboration before, during, and after caregiving. For years, the heart of WCN was bringing valuable information to family caregivers with shared stories through podcasting. The focus was easy-to-consume media for family caregivers everywhere, organized within the four Pillars of Care.
VIDEOS
Join Divas And Dementia for a heartwarming journey as they share the ups and downs of caring for a loved one with dementia. Watch as they find joy and laughter in the little things, turning everyday moments into cherished memories. From playful challenges to tender interactions, see how love and humor make every day special. Their YouTube channel has almost 54,000 subscribers and 260 videos.
BOOKS
The story of Chris MacLellan and his partner, Richard Schiffer was chronicled in a 2015 Pulitzer Prize nominated story “In Sickness and In Health: A Couple’s Final Journey” about their journey of caregiving. The story told of the challenges that LGBT partners have in dealing with the medical and legal system, but it also told of the love and joy that Richard’s last years had on their relationship. Out of this experience, Chris has written a powerful and compelling book that informs caregivers about how to deal with the challenges that they will encounter, regardless of sexual orientation, family situation or age.
We want to thank Samantha who took the time to read our book and provide a thoughtful ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐review!
“I am not a caregiver today but I can see how this book will be extremely helpful down the road after witnessing my parents caring after my grandparents. I also really appreciate that this book allowed me to see where my company could help me.”
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.
Order Working Caregivers-The Invisible Employees Book here
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