According to the French non-profit Je T’Aide, which supported the creation of National Caregivers Day in France in 2009, barely 38% of French people know what the term caregiver means. And yet caregivers are a large population: one in six people(1) are currently caring for a family member with a disability, an illness, or a need for assistance with daily living.

Providing care for a family member—which some caregivers do daily—carries consequences. As reported by Unafam, a French organization of family and friends of mentally ill or disabled people, for more than 65% of caregivers, the illness, disability or need for daily assistance of their spouse, child, parent or sibling has a negative impact on their own health.

What are the repercussions for caregivers’ mental health?

In addition, caregivers may find themselves caught up in family disputes, especially when siblings disagree about how to care for their parent. Caregivers can also be the target of aggressive or even violent behavior by the person being cared for. 

How can this affect their careers?

Again, as reported by Unafam, 36% of caregivers consider that providing this support has hampered their career. This problem is especially experienced by women.
Among employees who are also caregivers, 13.4% of the women found themselves obliged to switch to part-time work, compared with only 4.1% of the men. A total of 11.5% of women consider that providing care to a family member has undermined their career progression.

How can we help caregivers?

We can support caregivers and provide respite in several ways.

Insurers can arrange support services enabling employees to better balance their family caregiving and their career. “The program we offer includes counseling, home help, assistance with paperwork, and more, to bring caregivers tangible relief,” says Patricia Delaux, Health Director, Personal Protection and Long-term Care, AXA Santé et Collectives.

Carer’s Leave is another solution to relieve some of the caregiver’s burden. Any employee caring for a family member with a severe disability (rating of 80% or higher) is entitled to the leave; it cannot be refused by the employer. Carer’s leave lasts three months and is renewable, provided that it does not exceed a total of 12 months over the course of the worker’s career.

A respite allowance and donated days of leave can also offer caregivers a mental health break and help prevent burnout.

(1) According to AXA’s 2019 survey, Fondation April and BVA