Eldercare – a provider of elderly care support … releases new research revealing the mental, physical and professional strain that juggling a job with caring for an elderly relative is having on the UK’s workforce. The ‘Invisible Carers’ research of over 2,000 working carers shows that less than a quarter (24%) of those caring for an elderly relative outside of work receive ongoing support from their employer – with a majority finding that support is only given during an emergency situation (47%) or none at all (29%).
As a result, many are now balancing caring duties alongside their careers – 50% have checked-in with an elderly relative over the phone, 46% have received distressing calls from their relative and 40% have taken calls from a concerned carer or family member, all during working hours. A huge number of respondents are acting as a carer for a parent or grandparent on a daily or weekly basis (85%), and a similar number considering themselves the first response should something happen to the relative they care for (82%).
