It’s more important now than ever for employers to give caregivers the help they need. NBC6’s Sophia Hernandez reports
There are more than 2.3 million family caregivers in Florida who provide care for their loved ones, whether that’s their children or their parents.
It amounts to roughly 1.6 billion hours of unpaid care each year, according to Florida Blue. It's why some believe it’s more important now than ever for employers to give caregivers the help they need.
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WATCH HERE“I take care of them both as much as I can, and assist in any way I can, take them on all of my trips, and make sure they live a good retirement life,” Christina Leon said.
Leon is a 36-year-old caregiver for her two children and to her elderly parents.
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“My mom used to take care of my bigger one, but she ended up having a heart attack," she said. "So she had a heart attack when I was pregnant with my second one, so I actually took care of her in the hospital. Imagine me eight months pregnant, trying to carry her onto the bed and make sure she was alright.”
It can sometimes be a lot for her to juggle. She has to make sure those young and old are watched after while she and her husband are at the office. Her sister also helps with caregiving, but she also has her own family and job.
Which is why Leon decided to hire help.
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“So when she is not taking care of my kids while they are in school, she is taking care of them," she said.
Leon is a manager at Ardurra, and can typically be found at her office. She works 9 to 5 during the week and sometimes has to travel.
But there are some days when home needs her more. Leon says her employer has been there for her when she’s needed it.
“They really supported me in very difficult times," Leon said. "When it came to my mom, when it was my second pregnancy, which I suffered from postpartum depression for a really long time, about nine months. They were so flexible, and they were so generous with me.”
According to the Society for Human Resource Management, or SHRM, Christina is not alone.
“What we are seeing is that people are living longer, and people are having children later, so you are simultaneously taking care of children and or older adults in your household, yet you are the only one working in the household,” said Emily Dickens, the Chief of Staff and Head of Government Affairs for SHRM. “So you have to work, and that is the case for 53 million Americans who are working.”
According to SHRM data, one in five employees is a caregiver, with one in four being part of the "sandwich generation," meaning they are caring for both their child and their parent.
Only 35% say their employers are meeting their needs, which was the case for Yanay Llapur-Jorge.
“I was at a job that didn’t have as much of a flexible working environment, and it does take a toll on you, it does add to your worry because you find yourself asking, I have to leave early, I have to miss a day, because you just can’t work around it," Llapur-Jorge said.
Llapur-Jorge is 47 years old and is no stranger to the idea of caregiving.
“Well, it’s always been in our family, my grandmother has lived with us all our lives, my mom was her caregiver, and a few years ago, my dad passed away," she said. "So, we kind of fell into that role now, of what do we do? Where does my mom and my grandma stay?
They stayed with her. She sold her two-story house and bought a home that would now fit her family of three, plus the two matriarchs.
And while it’s come with adjustments to daily routines, and added to the monthly bill in food, electricity and water, Llapur-Jorge says culturally, it was something she knew she would one day do.
“I just think kind of in the Hispanic community and the families, you take care of your family. They took care of you, and there will come a time where you will take care of them, and maybe not necessarily taking care of them financially, but just being that support for them like they were for you,” Llapur-Jorge said.
As for the future, both Christina and Yanay say their parents have set them up for success and have been working to do the same for their children. They have been building up their 401(k)s and retirement funds, and are hoping that when their time comes, the caregiving burden will be less for their children.
