When Debra Whitman received an urgent call that her father had been rushed to the hospital in severe pain, she immediately flew back to Maryland from a business trip and spent several days helping him recover in his rural Washington state community, including setting up mobility equipment to help him get around.
What made this family crisis manageable for Whitman, who works as AARP’s chief public policy officer, was her employer’s paid caregiving leave program – a workplace benefit that employment specialists say is becoming increasingly common as America’s population grows older.
“Instead of having to take all my vacation, I could take several days of caregiving leave while I was out there,” Whitman said. “That’s been a huge godsend for a lot of my staff.”
According to AARP data, more than 63 million Americans currently provide care for adult family members while also maintaining regular employment. These dual responsibilities create significant challenges for workers, particularly those in the “sandwich generation” who are simultaneously caring for aging parents and raising their own children.
Research from New York Life Group Benefit Solutions shows that typical caregivers dedicate approximately six hours daily to assisting elderly relatives, according to company vice president Meghan Shea, whose firm handles life insurance and leave administration for employers.
“The challenge is that leave isn’t unlimited,” Shea said. “The average caregiving role spans about six years. So really, it’s a life change for these employees, and they need to figure out how to balance responsibilities in a new way, and that’s very stressful.”
Currently, federal law through the Family and Medical Leave Act allows eligible workers up to 12 weeks of unpaid time off annually to care for immediate family members. This protection applies to government agencies and private companies with 50 or more employees, requiring them to maintain health coverage and job security during leave periods, the Department of Labor reports.
However, this federal protection has limitations – it doesn’t cover all workplaces and fails to address the financial hardship many families face when taking unpaid leave.
More than a dozen states have implemented paid family leave programs that cover caregiving situations, whether for newborns or family members with serious medical conditions. These state programs typically provide partial salary replacement, though the duration and specific benefits differ by location.
“Many people have to quit their jobs in order to care for somebody, and that not only affects their income but their retirement benefits, and then there’s a loss of productivity for the employer who may have lost a great person,” Whitman said. “Finding ways to support family caregivers is a huge employment issue right now.”
As demand grows, numerous employers are introducing comprehensive caregiving support programs, including flexible work schedules and resource assistance. Employment experts suggest job seekers prioritize companies that offer caregiver-friendly policies.
Shea advises asking specific questions during job interviews when caregiving benefits matter to you, including inquiries about leave duration, payment status, usage flexibility, and what additional support the company provides beyond federal and state requirements.
Most employers offering paid caregiving leave provide between two and six weeks annually, though some extend coverage up to 12 weeks, reports Meghan Pistritto, a vice president at Prudential Financial’s group insurance division.
“Caregiving is a reality for a significant portion of the workforce,” Pistritto said. “The positive news is that employers are stepping up and they’re supporting their teams here. We’re seeing a lot of growth both in the employer-provided as well as in state-mandated paid leave programs that are showing up across the U.S.”
AARP provides qualified staff members up to two weeks of paid caregiving time annually for family members or domestic partners with serious health issues, or those over 50 who need assistance with daily activities like meal preparation, medical appointments, and financial management.
Remote work capabilities and flexible scheduling prove especially valuable when companies actively promote and normalize these arrangements, Pistritto noted. She emphasizes that managers should encourage open discussions about caregiving needs and regularly check on employee wellbeing, creating an environment where workers feel comfortable sharing their situations without fear of workplace stigma.
“Comprehensive paid leave is just the starting point. Genuine caregiver-friendly employers also provide practical resources such as access to counseling, backup care services, and caregiver support groups,” Pistritto said.
Many companies now provide access to “care concierges” – specialists who help employees locate healthcare providers, understand available benefits, and navigate complex systems like Medicare.
Whitman utilized AARP’s concierge service to find local caregivers who could assist her father when she couldn’t be present. “Just having that list was a really important step,” she said. These services also help workers locate medical equipment and arrange home modifications.
When taking time off isn’t possible, advancing technology offers new solutions for caregivers to monitor loved ones while maintaining their professional responsibilities.
Susan Hammond, who lives across from her mother with dementia in rural Vermont, spends four to five hours daily helping with meals, medication, and personal care while operating the War Legacies Project, a nonprofit addressing environmental and health impacts from conflicts in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia.
During work hours and overnight, Hammond relies on cameras and motion sensors installed throughout her mother’s home that send alerts to her phone or watch when doors open. Her mother sometimes wanders outside, confused about her location.
“The concern really is wandering. And she has said to me, ‘Why am I here? I’ve got to go home.’ At times from the camera, I can see she’s trying to get out and leave the house,” Hammond said.
Her work requires travel throughout the United States and Asia, and the monitoring system allows her to oversee her mother’s safety from distant locations while siblings provide hands-on care. During one medical emergency while Hammond was traveling, the technology enabled her to communicate with both her mother and emergency responders.
“I can always know where she is just by looking at my watch,” Hammond said. “Because we can monitor the cameras and monitor the alarms, I know she’s safe.”
