A Simple Guide: Asking for time-off, flexibility, or special accommodations to care for an aging loved one.

As an employer in the healthcare industry and a seasoned, Organizational Behavior Consultant, I understand the difficulty that many employees may have juggling workplace and caregiver related responsibilities. COVID-19 coupled with the fears and anxieties of institutional living (i.e. nursing homes) or an aging parent living alone has placed more emphasis on "home" and aging at home as a more feasible option for families. A key family member in the ecosystem of home-based care is oftentimes a key employee on an organizational team, business unit, or department. I recommend a few approaches and encourage our team of employees and contractors to apply these tactics and or approaches to this very timely and important topic of striking the right balance between flexibility, accommodations, and workplace commitments and obligations:

1. The Employee Handbook

Revisit the organization's employee handbook's policies on flex-time, telecommuting, and hybrid work schedules (office & home arrangements).?Review the addendums to your organization's employee handbook and policies added since the beginning of the pandemic. Perhaps there is more flextime available to help to meet caregiving obligations during normal work hours (i.e. doctor's appointments, out-patient procedures, pharmacy runs.) Effectively and efficiently use PTO (paid time off) and (vacation/sick leave/personal days) to help to meet the obligations of taking aging parents to appointments and/or follow-up visits.

2. Organization's Core Values

Focus on the organization's core values and leverage them in your conversations about family, work-life balance, etc. How often have you heard, "We're like a family around here..." perhaps more times than you can recount. So consider what's beneath the iceberg and below the surface. What are some of the shared stories, examples, perceptions, beliefs, and ideas that the organization's members have shared about caring for aging parents? What are the general reactions, norms, and feelings evidenced.

3. Your Performance - PRESENCE + IMPACT + PERFORMANCE (PIP)

Keep a running dialogue and/or journal status sheet that provides details of all of your progress and contributions to and or projects. Incorporate personal goals regarding family and balance into your performance evaluations/self-appraisals. Slackers don't usually deserve a pass but look for it at every turn. A few years ago, I wrote a piece for DBusiness Magazine, where I described managing your workplace PRESENCE, IMPACT, PERFORMANCE (PIP)- https://www.dbusiness.com/daily-news/blog-securing-the-promotion-if-you-actually-want-it/ . Your PIP is undeniable and is verifiable by and through your commitment, contributions, energy, problem-solving, and track-record. PIP paves the way for consideration.

• Keep your supervisor abreast of developments early in advance that may impact your ability to meet deadlines and or impact your attendance/performance.
• Discuss the timeline and or commitment levels of other siblings, caregivers, friends, and neighbors so that it does not appear that YOU are the sole caregiver and the amount of care or care demand will interfere with your ability to perform.

4. Support Groups and Peer-Circles

Start or join an existing peer-circle/support group for colleagues and employees who also are caregivers. You are not alone, the first, or the last to have a compelling issue or challenge with caring for a loved one. When we communicate with our colleagues who are open and receptive to these types of discussions we are oftentimes able to build greater trust, relatability, and tolerance for work-life-balance issues and constraints. Peer groups can be found or formed online and implemented as workplace chapters or groups by geography, theme, or industry type.

5. Medical Alert/Monitoring Systems

Enable monitoring, tracking, fall-detection, and telehealth visits for aging parents and describe how these interventions enable you to be more responsive while being in the moment at work and while away from work. Working adults and caregivers are always concerned about what is going on or what could possibly go wrong while they are away from their aging parent.

Seniors who live alone and are at higher risk of falls and who are home-bound are the best candidates for medical alert systems.

There are a number of factors to consider when looking for a device or system.?

Here are 10 factors to consider:

• Mobile vs. Home-Based System (landline or mobile (wearable) devices with GPS tracking function.
• Call verification to offset false alarms (dropping of the device vs. falling of the patient)
• Mobile power supply, backup power units/generators for tracking devices, and other medical equipment.
• 24-7: 365 Monitoring including weekends and Holidays
• Emergency Contacts and Caregiver Support (Triage Levels of Contact)
• Integration with Telehealth Applications (to correspond with Call Center, Primary Care Physicians, Nurse Practitioners, and Home Health Care Agencies)
• Multilingual and Sign Language Translations – Patient/Customer Support
• Costs and fees/monthly—subscription-based and/pay by the user—understand the terms.
• Additional Text Messaging Charges for Family and Caregivers
• Hearing-impaired patients and video capability of monitoring devices

6. Consider the support of a skilled home health care agency.

A skilled-home health care agency such as American Advantage Home Care, Inc., can help with (5) very important factors that aide in supporting and extending the wellness of aging loved ones.

• Nutrition – Many home health aides prepare meals for home-bound patients and a Certified Nutritionist is a value-add offered by many home health care agencies.
• Medication Management – Skilled home health care nurses and help patients to take medications on time and to crush or break medications for easier consumption.
• Mobility – Home health care provides physical therapy and occupational therapy services to homebound patients.
• Companionship – Private duty agencies can offer companionship and many skilled home health care workers become the extended family and close friends of home-bound patients.
• Hygiene – It is the responsibility of home health aides and certified nursing aides to bath, wash, and to help home-bound patients with toileting.

This article is a contribution from American Advantage Home Care, Inc. Its purpose to engage, inform, and to inspire a commitment to healthier choices, decisions, and wellness in and around the communities we serve.