How do we manage a balance between caring for family members and employment? A study on the compatibility between home care and employment at the Alpen-Adria-University

Background. Informal family care is an essential pillar of the healthcare system whilst informal caregivers face the huge challenge of coordinating family, the care situation as well as their employment. Objective. This article describes care situations, associated burdens, challenges and desired support measures experienced by university staff. Material and methods. A total of 75 people who are currently caring for or have in the past cared for a relative, participated in the online survey. Results. Informal care, often undertaken at short notice for family members, consumes a lot of time and requires a high amount of flexibility. In 64% of the reported cases the care situation lasted for more than 1 year, while being concealed by one third of the respondents and thus leading to a high risk of burnout. Conclusion. Informal caregivers need support within the social and professional environment by creating an awareness of this growing and unspoken topic.