Joanne needs flexible hours to check-in on her mother, which affects her career choices.
Transcript
I work 2 different jobs; one is 3 days a week and one is on the weekends. It averages out to 4 days a week. Just last year there was the possibility of another job that was 5 days a week, but it would be very fixed hours. That was a position, that particular position I was really interested in professionally, but I wouldn’t go for it because it was 5 days a week and because it was rigid hours. There’s no question of taking off lunch to come here; I wouldn’t have time. I’d have to strictly be in a certain timeframe and it would not… And if ever she is not well, I’d always having to be taking time off probably, whereas the position I have now I, it can be flexible because when I have appointments with people, I make those so I can organize and consequence. So that would have been a really interesting job to have, but I didn’t go for it because of my mom really basically, yeah.
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- Travelling, holidays and respite – Joanne (A)For Joanne, sending her mother to a respite program isn’t an option; her mother would not be able to cope.
- Home care and live-in caregivers – Joanne (A)Joanne’s mother has yet to receive any support; they are still on a waiting list.
- Caring for yourself – Joanne (A)Joanne acknowledges that she doesn’t prioritize her own needs enough. She will start to plan more time for herself.
- Impact on professional life and career – Joanne (A)Joanne needs flexible hours to check-in on her mother, which affects her career choices.
- Personal growth and transformation – Joanne (A)Joanne pushed herself and found her limits. She has learned to take better care of herself.
- Providing support – Joanne (A)While each task is reasonable on its own, it’s the accumulation of many small tasks that Joanne finds challenging.
- Advice for other caregivers – Joanne (A)Joanne compares caregiving to a locomotive that is pulling a train. You need fuel; otherwise the train stops.
- Advice for friends and family – Joanne (A)