The U.S. Care Economy: The Huge Price Tag of Caregiving
The cost of unpaid caregiving activities in the U.S. is substantial. According to the most recent 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.
Zack’s Story: Drafted into Caregiving After A Three Minute Phone Call
In the middle of a meeting with my relatively new boss on the morning of December 14th, 2006, not even a couple of months into the biggest job of my HR career, I received a phone call from my brother. I sent it to voicemail. He called back seconds later. I knew something was wrong. I stepped out of the meeting and heard words from my panicking brother that would change my present and future life, both personal and professional. I heard in a very emotional voice, “Dad had a stroke and is in the hospital!”
Selma’s Story: Becoming a Caregiver Can Be a Subtle Process
My caregiver journey did not begin with a bang. My mom didn’t take a fall, or suffer a heart attack. There were no screaming sirens or vehicles rushing to the nearest ER. To the contrary, my status as a caregiver was a very gradual process. There is not a point in time that I can claim as the exact moment that I became a caregiver. It occurred over a number of years.
Why We Wrote Our Book
Welcome to our blog! We are glad you’re here!
We thought it only appropriate that our first blog should share with you our reasons for writing the book: Working Caregivers – The Invisible Employees, https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CNVFJDMP. Whether you have had an opportunity to read our book, or even if you have not, it might be helpful to give some of the background regarding how this book came about, and our goals for wanting to offer our insights around the working caregiver journey.