Helping People Thrive
Helping People Thrive
Caring for elderly relatives is more common than one might think and statistics show that at least 1 in 5 adults current identify as caregivers in the UK.
Being a caregiver is no easy feat; it can be a difficult and consuming job, that requires organisation, patience and compromise. When caring for an elderly relative, lots of considerations need to be made, from task management, time management, to building a solid support system.
You might wonder how so many people with full-time or part-time jobs can juggle caregiving with their careers, whilst staying on top of everyday responsibilities. The good news is it is possible, though it can also be challenging. With new advancements in technology and medicine coming to light every day, there is a range of tools and resources at your disposal that can help you in caring for a family member.
So, whether you've been caring for a relative for some time, or are new to your caring journey, you've come to the right place. We've put together this guide to help you with the essential considerations of caring, so you can prioritise what matters most and find the support you need along the way.
Becoming a caregiver
In many cases, being a carer for a family member is an unpaid job that we do to support someone in need – a parent, grandparent, or similar. The amount of work and responsibility required as a carer depends entirely on the person you’re caring for, so it’s worth taking a moment to reflect on what being a caregiver means in your situation. Is your role to clean the house once a week, or do you need to be on-hand for daily support?
Depending on your situation, you might become a carer gradually, where support becomes required due to disability, illness, or something similar. As people get older, or less able, certain tasks themself, such as running errands or cleaning around the house. Alternatively, you might inherit the role, if looking after someone that has required support their entire life.
Set realistic expectations
It's no secret that there are challenges that come with being a caregiver. The role can be demanding, so spend some time considering your circumstances before committing. Work out the level of support you need to provide and identify how and whether this is something you’re able to provide in your week. You want to be realistic with how much time and attention you can contribute as a caregiver to your family member. Recognising your own boundaries will help you find a healthy balance between caring for them, living your own life and making time for other family and friends.
Create a balanced routine
Creating a schedule that balances your work commitments with your caregiving responsibilities is crucial. It will help reduce the stress that comes with the role and establish a level of consistency for you and your loved one. Consistency is key. The routine could include set times for essential tasks such as meal preparation, administering medication, and providing transportation as needed. Time management is a significant factor in developing a routine that works. It can be easy to get held up in spending too much time as a caregiver, sacrificing your personal time.
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Financial support as a caregiver Based on your current income, you could be entitled to receive benefits from the government, known as a carer's allowance. If you meet the requirements of caring for someone in need, you could receive a weekly payment to help offset financial obligations. While there is an earnings limit, some basic eligibility requirements for the payment include being at least 16 years old, not enrolled in a full-time educational institution, and dedicating at least 35 hours a week as a caregiver. You’ll be required to provide supporting documentation about yourself and the person you care for to receive government financial support. To learn more about this or apply, visit your local government's website to submit an application online. Communicate with your employer As a carer, lots of employers recognise the importance of this role and the demands it can have on your time. Some employers offer flexible work arrangements that enable you to work from home as needed, or can help reduce your workload. Additionally, an increasing number of organisations provide counselling and support programs to support your mental health and wellbeing, as you balance being a caregiver with your job. Depending on the flexible work policies in place, your company may have additional assistance programs such as elder care referrals, to help you save time with finding transportation services, setting up meal deliveries, medical support, and more. Don’t wait until an emergency to arise before having a conversation with your manager or HR. Let them know about your situation and you might be surprised by the amount of support they can provide to help you with your caring role. And if not, at least they will be aware of your situation in case any emergencies arise. |
Looking after yourself
While you could be great at juggling all the responsibilities of caregiving, working, and running a household, everyone has limitations. If you're not taking care of your well-being, this could negatively impact your ability to care for your loved one. Respecting and recognising that you will need extra support is important, so listen to your mind and body.
Looking after your mental, physical, and emotional health will ensure you are in the best condition to continue doing what you do best. Here are some ways to look after your health and wellbeing, whilst continuing to be productive:
Build self-care into your weekly routine. Whether waking up 30 minutes earlier each morning to get a stretch in, taking a longer mid-day break for a stroll in the park, or scheduling some reading in your night time routine, take some time to do something relaxing for yourself.
Find your support system. As your loved one's caregiver, they will lean on you for support. As a result, you may feel a lot of pressure and stress, potentially impacting your mental health. You may find yourself needing a support system of your own, and that's okay. Caregiving can be an isolating experience, so connecting with others going through similar experiences can be enlightening. Whether you decide to join a local caregiver support group or have someone you trust that you can go to in any time of need, it's crucial that you build a support network that not only encourages you, but empowers you to feel confident in yourself and other aspects of your life.
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Pair a balanced diet with regular movement. A balanced meal plan will ensure you receive sufficient nutrients your body needs to stay alert and energised. There's a reason why people say breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Skipping a meal and a lack of regular exercise is detrimental to your overall wellbeing and decision making, so try to make healthy choices where possible. Find a hobby. Engaging in hobbies helps keep your brain stimulated. Hobbies are a great way to provide some separation from your daily stresses, as well as boost your serotonin levels, which is critical for caregivers. Having interests and hobbies of your own will help maintain your identity, preventing you from getting lost in the shuffle of managing a working job and the role of a caregiver. In this role, no two days are alike. There might be days where you feel overwhelmed or exhausted from looking after someone else. It’s important to remember to ask for help when you need to. While it might not always feel like it, your caring contribution is appreciated more than you will ever know. |
Wellness Cloud & Parent Cloud give you easy remote access to experienced specialists, who can support you with your mental health and wellbeing.
For further information, or to book a session online with one of our specialists, visit our website.
www.the-wellness-cloud.com
Helping People Thrive
The journey to becoming a new parent can be a challenging one and supporting team members through this transition and ensuring a successful return, can be a rewarding part of your role as a manager. We have designed a bespoke coaching programme for Managers of Parents within RBC to ensure you are equipped with everything you need to support team members on this journey.
We have a bespoke Parental Coaching programme for all RBC employees consisting of 4 1-2-1 Coaching sessions with a coach of your choice. Supporting you through your journey from preparing for your parental leave, making the most of your time away and also, setting you up for a successful return to the office. Book an initial chemistry call with a coach ahead of beginning your tailored programme below.
Wellness Cloud is a leading employee benefits platform, providing remote wellbeing support to employees, with one-to-one consultations, live talks and events, as well as a library of on-demand wellbeing resources, available through the Wellness Cloud Hub and App.
We provide support for a wide range of life challenges, including: pregnancy and parenting, fertility, mental health, menopause, financial wellbeing, professional and personal coaching, nutrition, relationships, women’s health, men’s health, elderly care, sleep, bereavement and neurodiversity.
As an RBC employee, you can access an initial entitlement of 3 one-to-one sessions with a range of Wellness Cloud specialists (see “Are any categories excluded from my allowance?”). Book a Session using the Coupon Code RBCWELLNESS to reduce the normal session price to £0. Once you have used your free sessions, if you would like to request further one-to-one sessions, please fill in the anonymous request form.
Should you wish to purchase a session, you can access a 10% discount, which means each 45-minute session will cost £67.50 instead of £75. You need to use code WELLNESS10 when booking a session to obtain the discount.
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There are a variety of guides under our mental health category, covering anxiety, depression, relationships, bereavement and more. In addition, we run a 90-minute mental health awareness workshop, which is aimed at managers and Wellbeing champions within the business. Our Wellness Cloud app also gives access to sleep stories, guided meditation and a Pocket CBT diary, where you can personally track your own mental health.
We have a dedicated category for parents, offering advice and guidance covering a number of topics from pregnancy and new-borns to teenagers. In addition, you can join our bi-monthly 3-part antenatal course for free. Or attend any of our Baby & Toddler classes which run on a weekly basis. As an employee you can also book in a 1-2-1 consultation with any of the parenting specialists on the platform for free, simply using your booking coupon code RBCWELLNESS.
We offer consultations with personal and professional coaches, who enable their clients to move forward in their careers by unlocking their full potential.
There’s a variety of support and guidance available on Wellness Cloud specifically to men, as well as a number of male specialists that can support you with your wellbeing.
You will find a variety of support and guidance for women’s health and wellbeing, including pregnancy and the menopause.
You will find guides on savings, pensions, investments and tips on improving your financial wellbeing within our expert resources section. Not all of this information will be relevant to colleagues outside of the UK, so please review carefully and seek local advice where appropriate.
Absolutely. There are written guides on the platform that you can find within the Expert Resources tab. Not all of this information will be relevant to colleagues outside of the UK, so please review carefully and seek local advice where appropriate.
Our online antenatal course is completely free of charge and available for you to access through the year. We run this course every other month and it’s easy to join – simply go to the Upcoming Events and Talks page on the Hub and look for the next Antenatal course.
We run over 150 baby and toddler classes each year, which are all free of charge and available for you to access as an employee. In addition, we run virtual drop-In clinics with our breastfeeding, antenatal, and infant sleep experts for you to attend. We also regularly run Q&A sessions with our experts, please keep an eye out for these events and you can join them or watch a recording at your leisure. To access any of these simply go onto the events tab in the Hub.
Everything is available outside of the UK and you can access any of our services, regardless of your location. We have also created some non-UK specific guides, which can be found within the HR & Manager section of our Guides page.
Our Fertility, Pregnancy, Antenatal courses, Baby & Toddler classes are open to family members who live with you.
1-2-1 consultations are available for employees of RBC only, however where appropriate, for example, our child behaviour, sleep, nutrition or parenting 1-2-1 consultations we would understand a partner attending with you.
Wellness Cloud provides a variety of useful support and resources for HR personnel and managers, including live events, workshops, mental health training, guides, videos and more. You are also able to book one-to-one sessions with our network of professional coaches.
Under the expert resources you will find a manager and HR section which has useful guides to help with supporting employees – for example with neurodiversity or bereavement. The live event and talks are often helpful in providing some education and understanding on topics affecting your employees and Wellness Cloud runs several Manager specific events throughout the year.
There are a variety of guides under the Mental health category covering Anxiety and depression, Relationships, Bereavement and postnatal depression. There are also remote Mental Health focused trainings and workshops to help you understand your own mental health and how you can best support others. These interactive workshops run for 90 minutes, every other month and are designed for Managers and other Mental Health first aiders or Champions within the business. In addition, you can book a one-to-one session with the Mental Health First Aid trainer, if you were looking for support or advice around a particular situation and needed clarity on how best to support yourself or a colleague.
There is access to one-to-one consultations with personal and professional coaches, who enable individuals to move forward in their careers by unlocking their full potential.
Please in the first instance contact your manager or your HR team who will help to provide guidance for you and your team.
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