September is World Alzheimer’s Month and September 21st marks World Alzheimer’s Day. It’s a chance to reflect on all the individuals who have been, and continue to be, affected by the devastating impact of the disease. Obviously, the immediate focus is on those who have it. But there are many other people who have their lives affected by it too. And that particularly includes those who’ve found themselves caring for individuals who are suffering with it.
The devastation of Alzheimer’s disease
Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia. It’s a progressive neurological disorder leading to memory problems, thinking and reasoning difficulties, language problems, mood changes, and ongoing cognitive decline. In the UK alone, there are currently estimated to be 982,000 people living with dementia. By 2040, it’s projected to rise to 1.4 million. Most sufferers are cared for by family members – many of whom are also employees.
The growing burden for carer employees
Life as a carer can be really challenging, especially for people trying to balance caring responsibilities with employment. Alzheimer’s disease is an increasingly common reason why employees find themselves with caregiving responsibilities. But it’s far from the only reason why one of your employees might end up as a carer. They might have a parent with Parkinson’s disease perhaps. Or a child with a disability. Or a partner with a mental health condition. There are a multitude of reasons why one, if not many, of your employees could find themselves in a complex and time-consuming caregiving role.
Not all carer employees will even think of themselves as such. In their mind they’re just fulfilling a responsibility they have, often to a family member. But caring takes time and energy. It can be emotionally draining. If your employees don’t fully recognise the caring role they’re carrying out, they might not consider asking for any support. Yet the pressures of caregiving combined with work responsibilities can be overwhelming. The dual pressures can lead to an employee struggling to engage with their work and at risk of burnout, mental health issues and going off on sick leave.
The Carer’s Leave Act 2023
The growing need to support employees with caregiving responsibilities led to the Carer’s Leave Act becoming law last year. It came into force in April this year, giving employees with caring responsibilities the right to take up to one week of unpaid leave (or the equivalent of their usual week if part time) each year to carry out caregiving duties.
It’s a flexible form of leave. Employees can take it in full days or half days, depending on their needs. The right to take it applies to any employee from the first day of employment for a dependant in need of long-term care. Dependants include spouses or partners, children, parents, another household member (but not tenants, lodgers or employees), or anyone else who relies on them for care.
Long term care is defined as:
- a disability as defined under the Equality Act 2010
- an illness or injury likely to need care for at least 3 months
- a care need related to old age.
How else can you support carer employees?
The Carer’s Leave Act is a positive development. But for a lot of carer employees, the need for flexibility and support goes beyond what it currently offers. And caring is an issue affecting a lot of people. The recently released Bupa Wellbeing Index 2024 report highlighted that 68% of employees wanted additional support from their employer in handling care responsibilities as well as with their own health and wellbeing.
So what other steps can you take to support your employees who are also caregivers?
Consider whether you can provide any enhanced leave
Organisations such as Carers UK have highlighted the growing call from carer employees for leave to be paid. While that might not be what the law currently requires, you could consider enhancing the leave available by allowing your employees additional time off, paying for some of the leave, or both.
Review what kind of flexibility you can offer
Offering flexible working hours or the ability to work remotely can help many employees manage their caregiving responsibilities more effectively.
Create a carer’s leave policy
A dedicated policy can be really helpful for clearly explaining who’s entitled to unpaid time off, how much they’ll get, and any further types of support available. The policy should set out how you’ll handle requests for leave and how much notice is needed. It would also be worth including information or links to related policies such as parental leave.
Creating a policy will make sure all information is readily available in one place. That will help carers get clarity about the support they’re entitled to and make sure managers understand their responsibilities. If your organisation is very small and you’d prefer not to have an additional policy, you could include the information in an associated policy – potentially flexible working or family friendly policies for example.
Train your managers
Make sure managers are aware of the challenges faced by carers. It’ll encourage a more empathetic and understanding approach. If employees feel comfortable discussing their caregiving responsibilities without fear of stigma or discrimination, they’ll feel able to be more open. By appreciating more about the pressures carers are dealing with, your managers will be better equipped to offer the necessary support.
Highlight support networks
Depending on your company’s size, you might be able to establish your own support group for employees who are carers. Alternatively, you could signpost to external organisations like Carers UK, Working Families and the NHS. They all offer resources that help carers get more advice, and in some cases let them share their own experiences and benefit from mutual support too, reducing any sense of isolation.
This World Alzheimer’s Day, remember how difficult it is for every employee carer juggling work and caring responsibilities
You can play a vital role in providing the additional flexibility, understanding, and resources that your own carer employees might need. Do contact us if you’d like further guidance on how to support employees who find themselves dealing with the many challenges of being a carer.
