Juggling caring with a career

[Revitalise1963]

Managing a caring role with the demands of a career can be extremely difficult. According to research by Carers UK, over half of carers they asked said they'd given up work, highlighting the stress of juggling work and care. Does this situation sound familiar? Even if you are still in employment at the moment, have you had to reduce the number of hours you work in order to be able to provide care for a loved one? We would love for you to share your experiences with us.

[jaykay777]

When my father died suddenly at 80, I immediately became the sole caregiver for my mother. I have no siblings and my father's elderly sisters were able to stay with my mother in the city until I could come in from the far suburbs where I lived. I had just started a promising new job, and didn't want to give it up. I hired one of the corporate attorneys who worked for my employer and the attorney guided me through the process of becoming my mother's guardian. My new employer let me use my personal time to go to court and to find a suitable care facility for my mother. Rather than give up my job, I gave up making dinner for myself, my husband and our teenager. We ate out every night. On weekends my husband and son went into the city to clear out and sell my parents' home. I'm glad I didn't give up my job. Although it wasn't covered by the New York State Employment system when I was hired, it was later covered and I receive a small monthly pension from it. I'm now 86, and pleased with judgment calls I made when I was in my early 40s and both parents died within six months of each other.