Working Caregiver- About Working Caregiver, LLC

In 2002, I discovered how difficult caring for aging parents can be. After years of helping co-ordinate care for my parents, I launched WorkingCaregiver.com with intention to help other working family caregivers struggling with seniors, aging relatives, and parent care in Texas, Austin, Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio.  If your family is like mine, we did little planning with our parents for their care.  We waited till there was a senior event or emergency, like my mom's fall that broke her hip.  We began our planning then.  Now, I must admit from my first hand experience, planning when in an emotionally charged state is not a good time to make choices that affect my parents and sibling's lives!  It's my goal to help you begin the "elder care journey" a lot sooner when your parents or relatives are in good health. 

Working full-time and living at a distance from my parents, I know what it's like to be physically at work with thoughts drifting to them. "Are they okay? Are they eating, have they bathed, are they safe, and are they taking medications properly?"  The love, support, and care for our families, both for the young and old, is a vital part of our lives and we are dedicated to helping family members figure out the information you need to know as you help care for aging parents, and then give you the top senior care, elder care, and aging information and resources.

WorkingCaregiver.com delivers resources to help families with parent care decisions. The challenge helping families is finding and locating quality senior service providers in our local, Austin, Houston, Dallas, and San Antonio areas!  Most family caregivers don't consider themselves to be caregivers!  We are the immediate family, relatives by blood, marriage, or adoption, partners, or close friends who directly provide care, manage the care of, or pay for the care of people who need medical and non-medical assistance, emotional support, and advocacy because they are ill, disabled, or aged and frail, according to the Institute for Health and Aging.

Our Senior Services Directory  provides a comprehensive listing of geriatric physicians, geriactric care management, home health care, continuum care, financial services, elder law attorneys, certified senior realtors, CPAs, support groups, and non-profits - all who are dedicated to serving the Texas senior market.

It's estimated that 45% of family caregivers have been providing care for over 5 years.

Bearing the long-term care responsibilities for an older relative or friend with disabilities places heavy emotional strain on the caregiver and often results in depression. (U.S. Administration on Aging)

Here are some fast facts on caregiving:

Approximately 64% of caregivers of the elderly are employed.  They spend an average of 18 to 40 hours per month caregiving. (Families USA Foundation, 1997)

Two-thirds of working caregivers report conflicts between work and caregiving which require them to rearrange their work schedules, work fewer than normal hours, and/or take unpaid leaves of absence.

Caregiver stress accounts for a 27% increase in use of company health insurance benefits. (Cincinnati Area Senior Services, 2001)

The aggregate costs of caregiving in lost productivity to U.S. businesses are as much as $29 billion when the person receiving care is aged 50 or greater. (MetLife, 1997). The costs are much greater when all care recipients are included in the calculations.

We have and will continue to compile useful and helpful common topics of concern for family members who help aging parents or relatives. We have and will continue to list the healthcare choices surrounding your businesses, homes, and your aging relative's homes, so you have direction and a place to go when caring gets tough.

Thank you for visiting. May the goodness of caring protect those you love!

Carol Marak