Caregiving and Employment: Competing or Complementary Roles?

This study examines the potential benefits and costs of having both work and elder care responsibilities, based on interviews with 94 employed caregivers. For the majority of the respondents, the negative aspects of combining work and caregiving roles were outweighed by positive aspects, such as a sense of accomplishment, enhanced interpersonal relationships, and opportunities to compensate for limitations experienced in each of the separate roles. Workplace policies and programs considered most helpful by respondents were those which provided options for adapting work routines to complement caregiving responsibilities.