On Wednesday, Aug. 26, the Alzheimer’s Association will hold a corporate event on the impact of caregiving in the workplace. Speakers will talk about the needs of caregivers, and resources to help employees navigate caregiving. To register for the event, email msrose@alz.org.
Part of supporting caregivers means being aware that the employee might not be comfortable bringing up what they are dealing with at home, said Eric VanVlymen, executive director of the Alzheimer’s Association Miami Valley Chapter. Meanwhile, care for a loved one can slowly grow into 24/7 care, leaving workers disrupted, unfocused or having trouble maintaining their same work schedule.
“They (the employer) might have to look for different kinds of behaviors that don’t fit how that person has always been. They might not want to come and say, ‘Hey, I’m dealing with my older parents with Alzheimer’s,‘” VanVlymen said.
The coronavirus pandemic also cut off some traditional systems of support. This includes adult day care centers, which were shut down March 23. Gov. Mike DeWine said last week the centers will be allowed to reopen Sept. 21 under restrictions.
Employer or individuals or with questions about information or resources can call the Alzheimer Association Miami Valley Chapter’s 24/7 Helpline at 800-272-3900.
Employers should be prepared to see this topic come up more often in the workplace. With workers staying in the workforce longer, that means more workers are going to have older parents and potentially have caregiving duties, said Marisa O’Neill, chief growth officer at RetireMEDiQ, based in Miamisburg.
This issue affects women more than men in the workplace, since about two-thirds of dementia caregivers are women.
“A lot of child care is the same way and we have more and more women in the workforce now than we used to,” she said.
Flexibility is a key tool for helping caregivers balance life and work and know it’s OK to have a career and a family, according to O’Neill. Several employees at RetireMEDiQ went to stay with and care for parents or grandparents in the spring to help them with their needs during the shutdown, she said.
“With COVID and everything this year, one thing that’s critical for employers is just understanding flexibility,” O’Neill said.
Jennifer Loveless, vice president and private bank relationship manager at Civista, said when her husband, John Loveless, was diagnosed with early-stage Alzheimer’s disease, she needed time to process, grieve over the diagnosis and accept her new position as a caregiver.
Her supervisor allowed her to adjust her schedule and work outside of normal hours. The company also offered her a leave of absence with no penalty and Loveless’ supervisor took over her workload. She contacted the Alzheimer’s Association, which helped her build a plan of care for her husband and come back to work.
“Civista Bank gave me permission to take care of me,” Jennifer Loveless said.
Todd Markle, CEO of local HR consultancy Hello Hire Talent Solutions, said he’s seen the issue both as a caregiver who lost his father a year ago and from his career working in human resources.
Employers are making progress thinking about the needs of Alzheimer’s caregivers, Markle said, but it’s still not a major area of focus for many employers.
“Good strides have been made by employers helping working parents be more flexible with policies and practices, but I don’t think you see it as much as those that are dealing with the challenge of a parent or loved one going through this,” Markle said.
• 57%: Of Alzheimer’s and dementia caregivers employed full or part time who had to go in late, leave early or take time off because of their caregiving responsibilities
• 18%: Of them had to go from working full time to part time
• 16%: Of them had to take a leave of absence
• 8%: Of them turned down a promotion due to the burden of caregiving;
• More than 1 in 6: Alzheimer’s and dementia caregivers quit work entirely because of caregiving burdens;
Source: Alzheimer’s Association
For individuals or employers needing help or to get a care consult, call the Alzheimer Association Miami Valley Chapter’s 24/7 Helpline at 800-272-3900.
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