Hospice Care Los Angeles – How to Balance Work and Caregiving

Many caregivers who balance full-time work with hospice caregiving responsibilities face health problems, depression, lost time, and low productivity. If you are caring for a loved one in hospice Los Angeles, you may find that you have low energy and can’t stay as involved with your friends or other loved ones as you’d like. This type of caregiving can lead to burnout and stress, which can cause mental health problems. If you are frequently distracted at work and find yourself unmotivated and physically exhausted, you should consider the following steps to manage your well-being.

Flexible Work

If you are handling caregiving responsibilities for your loved one alone, you may benefit from having flexible work hours or a compressed work week. You can explore options like remote work or job-sharing with your employer after sharing your concerns. Many employers offer flexible timings depending on the employee’s case, even if there is no strict policy.

Counselling Services

If you share your concerns with the Human Resources department, they may be able to offer you an Employee Assistance Program or other relevant resources for palliative care caregivers. You can avail counselling to reduce stress and better manage your mental health.

Share Ideas with Human Resources

Many employers who have not implemented strict policies or practices for caregiving employees are usually open to doing so, and you just have to open a discussion with them. You can ask your Human Resources department to consider the tool kit from AARP and Northeast Business Group on Health to provide support to you and other caregiving employees.

Paid Leaves for Caregiving

Depending on the policy of your employer and state laws, you may be allowed to use paid sick leaves or vacation days to care for your loved one. Some regions in the USA (Georgia, New Mexico, Puerto Rico, Illinois) have an Act that allows workers to use paid sick leaves to care for family members. You may also be eligible for unpaid leaves under the federal Family and Medical Leave Act.