Working Caregivers-The Invisible Employees Newsletter

Brought to you by ieadvocates (invisible employee advocates)

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Women continue to form the backbone of the caregiver economy across the United States. Women of all ages provide both paid and unpaid care support that helps keep families, workplaces and communities up and running. However, older women (55+) often carry the bulk of care responsibilities, stepping in to care for aging spouses, siblings, even friends, while assisting  their adult children and grandchildren. Many of these older women are also members of the paid caregiving workforce, bringing years of lived experience and empathy to the role. 

Their contributions are profound, whether measured in emotional labor, valuable time or economic impact. According to the U.S. Department of Labor these women: “are critical to the care infrastructure of the U.S. – both in terms of the unpaid care they offer, and the millions of unpaid care hours they provide … This care, in turn, is part of the framework that props up the rest of the economy: It allows employees to work and thrive, and the U.S. economy to function.”

For businesses, this reality is a big deal. The invisible contributions of older women, not only sustains families, but also the broader economy, ensuring that millions of working Americans can remain in the workforce. 

Table of Contents

• Working Caregivers-The Invisible Employees Newslet …

  • In the news:

  • People and Companies In the spotlight:

  • Stories From Real Working Caregivers:

  • Recommended media content:

    • Bruce Willis' Wife Emma Describes the Pain of Ambi …

  • With gratitude, we share a book review:

    • Order Our Book Here

In the news:

The author of this article puts the spotlight on two woman caregivers and their working caregiver stories stressing the importance of being transparent about resume gaps and identifying critical caregiver skills picked up in the caregiver role that an employer will want to hire and retain.

Read the article here.

This article shares the undesirable consequences of women executives who take on caregiving roles such as guilt and burnout. The author also shares solutions employers can implement to support these caregivers. Three solutions listed are:

Read the article here.

Did you know? (Read our blog):

Older Women: Unwavering Pillars of the U.S. Care Economy (9/16/25)

 Okay ladies, this one’s for you! It is no secret that for many generations now, women have taken on the primary responsibility for caregiving roles both in terms of professional caregiving as well as in the area of unpaid family care. In this blog we discuss the critical contributions and the sacrifices women have made and continue to make to ensure the well-being of their loved ones, and their overall impact on the U.S. care economy. Our focus will be directed toward the more senior (or should we say, the more seasoned) population of female caregivers (55 years old and older).  Literature from the U.S. Department of Labor makes some powerful statements regarding this group of working caregivers as follows:

“Older women are critical to the care infrastructure of the U.S. – both in terms of the unpaid care they offer, and the millions of unpaid care hours they provide on a daily basis. This care, in turn, is part of the framework that props up the rest of the economy: It allows employees to work and thrive, and the U.S. economy to function.”

Read blog here

People and Companies In the spotlight:

Episode 25: Caregiving, WOOP, and the Emotional Load: A Conversation with Dr. Joan Monin

In this episode, we sit down with the amazing Dr. Joan Monin from Yale University to talk about the real, raw, and often overlooked emotional weight of caregiving—especially for those of us juggling careers, kids, and aging parents. Joan not only brings a wealth of research and experience in public health, but also shares her personal journey as a daughter navigating her mom’s dementia diagnosis. This one hits close to home.

We unpack the psychological barriers that prevent caregivers from getting the support they need, the tension of being a “pre-caregiver,” and how to manage stress before burnout hits. Joan introduces us to a simple but powerful emotional regulation tool called WOOP (Wish, Outcome, Obstacle, Plan)—and trust us, you’re going to want to try it. If you’ve ever felt stuck between showing up for your job and showing up for your family, this episode is for you.

Professor Joan Monin’s research examines how emotional processes affect health in older adult relationships. Her research combines survey methods and laboratory experiments to understand the mechanisms (e.g. emotional contagion, cardiovascular reactivity) and moderators (gender, individual differences in attachment) involved in these processes. Currently her research focuses on understanding how caregivers and care recipients support one another in the context of early stage dementia. You can connect with her on LinkedIn.

Stories From Real Working Caregivers:

Meet George Ackerman, a real working caregiver:

George Ackerman, Ph.D, JD, MBA (Sharon’s son) lost his mother, Sharon on 1/1/2020 due to Parkinson’s Disease. With his family, he started TogetherForSharon® for the purpose of keeping his mother, Sharon’s, memory alive and to share the message of Parkinson’s Awareness and hope for a cure. In addition to b

eing a tireless advocate, he is an author and contributor of many books including A Son’s Journey from Parkinson’s Disease Caregiver to Advocate, Voices of Resilience: Conversations with Parkinson's Disease Warriors, Caregivers and Advocates (Book 1 and 2), Policing & Parkinson’s Disease: Encounters, Training, and the Need for Awareness, and the recently released The Caregiver's Advocate: A Complete Guide to Support and Resources, Vol. 2.

Today https://www.togetherforsharon.com/ reaches thousands of individuals across the country for PD Awareness.

Read the entire interview here

Recommended media content:

PODCASTS

Inspiring Women Podcast: Tia Newcomer On Turning caregiver Overwhelm Into Community Action. April 15 2025. In this episode of Inspiring Women, CEO Tia Newcomer joins Laurie McGraw to talk about what it takes to bring real support into the healthcare experience—not as a nice-to-have, but as essential infrastructure. Under her leadership, CaringBridge is expanding its reach, embedding into points of diagnosis and discharge, and protecting trust in a space where many would trade it for scale.

VIDEOS

Bruce Willis' Wife Emma Describes the Pain of Ambiguous Loss. Oprah is joined by Emma Heming Willis, Bruce's wife, who shares the hardships of caring for a loved one. Plus, Demi Moore weighs in on Emma and Bruce.

 BOOKS

A Son’s Journey from Parkinson’s Disease Caregiver to Advocate. This book is a memoir of and praise for author George Ackerman’s mother Sharon, who was his best friend through both of their lives and explores her journey with Parkinson’s Disease. The book is a heartfelt recollection of the beginnings of her Parkinson’s disease symptoms and his caregiving to support through her battle with PD. The book also reaches those who are not aware of Parkinson’s throughout the world. He shares: “Until we ensure that others outside the local or regional Parkinson’s community are made aware, a cure will be further from our grasp. Others, too, may find the book helpful, especially for those suffering from associated diseases.”

With gratitude, we share a book review:

We want to thank S. Foley who took the time to read our book and provide a thoughtful ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐review!

“As a home care agency owner for years I can testify that Zack tells it like it is. This book is packed with important information for caregivers and those they care for and their families. This book is spot on and is a must read. Thanks to the authors for putting in the time and effort to produce this text that will no doubt help many.”

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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