Caring for Change:Beyond the Personal — Framing Caregiving as an Economic Imperative

A Series by Professionals Who Care

"This journey has taught me a fundamental truth: how we talk about caregiving profoundly shapes our policies, our workplaces, and our society's willingness to support those who provide care"

By Mark Fukae, Director of Advocacy for Professionals Who Care

In the previous post of this series, we explored the different avenues for making a difference in the caregiver community, from volunteerism to the specifics of advocacy and lobbying. We discussed how caregivers and allies can engage to create lasting change. Now, in this installment, let's delve into the crucial what and why – the fundamental shift in perspective needed to drive that change, and why framing caregiving as an economic imperative is key to our success.

Four years ago, the landscape of my life shifted dramatically. My mother's dementia diagnosis in 2019, swiftly followed by the isolating challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, thrust me into the demanding role of a primary caregiver. Like over 32 million other professionals in America, I joined the ranks of those juggling the critical responsibilities of caregiving alongside a full-time job.

For a time, I navigated this dual existence with the support of my employer, receiving accommodations in 2022 and 2023 that offered much-needed flexibility. But the 2024 Return-to-Office mandate erased that flexibility, exposing a harsh reality: for too many working caregivers, workplace support is precarious, often seen as a favor rather than a necessity. This personal challenge ignited my commitment to advocacy, propelling me to become a citizen lobbyist in Colorado and beyond. It underscored the urgent need for the kind of advocacy we discussed in my previous Caring for Change series blog.

This journey has taught me a fundamental truth: how we talk about caregiving profoundly shapes our policies, our workplaces, and our society's willingness to support those who provide care. For too long, caregiving has been relegated to the private sphere, viewed solely as a personal, familial responsibility. This narrative fails to acknowledge its immense economic and societal value, rendering invisible the skills, dedication, and often significant personal and professional sacrifices made by caregivers.

This is where the critical work of thinkers like Riane Eisler becomes so powerful. Her concept of the "care economy," particularly as explored in her book, "The Real Wealth of Nations: Creating a Caring Economics," fundamentally challenges our flawed economic systems. Eisler argues that many of the major problems we face stem from an economic model that fails to prioritize and properly value our greatest assets: people and the natural environment. In "The Real Wealth of Nations," she advocates for a radical reformation: a caring economics that transcends traditional labels like capitalist or socialist. This model offers enormous economic and social benefits by explicitly giving value to caring activities – including the essential unpaid care provided by family members. Eisler describes concrete steps, such as developing innovative economic indicators that actually incorporate the value of caregiving, to move towards a more humane and effective economic system.

The care economy, as illuminated by Eisler's work, recognizes that the essential work of caring for children, the elderly, and those with disabilities – whether paid or unpaid – is not just a social service but a fundamental pillar of our overall economy. It produces capable individuals, maintains the health and well-being of our population, and enables paid workforce participation.

Yet, our dominant narrative often ignores this vital contribution. We don't talk enough about the astonishing economic value of unpaid family caregiving. Recent estimates place the value of this work in the U.S. at hundreds of billions, even exceeding $1 trillion annually, depending on the methodology used to calculate it. To put that in perspective, the value of unpaid care rivals or even surpasses the value of entire major industries.

Furthermore, the economic cost of not supporting working caregivers is staggering for businesses and the economy as a whole. When professionals are forced to reduce hours, take unpaid leave, or leave the workforce entirely due to a lack of workplace flexibility, the financial impact is immense. Studies estimate that the cost to U.S. businesses due to caregiver absenteeism, presenteeism (reduced productivity while at work), and turnover is tens of billions of dollars each year. Losing an experienced employee can cost a company anywhere from 50% to over 200% of that employee's annual salary to recruit and train a replacement. Over a lifetime, the impact of caregiving on an individual's lost wages and retirement savings can be hundreds of thousands of dollars. This "silent crisis" in the workplace isn't just a personal burden; it's a significant drag on our economic potential.

This outdated perspective leads to outdated policies and workplace cultures that marginalize caregivers. As Professionals Who Care highlights, many employers lean into these "outdated policies, ignoring the technological advances, economic realities, and the state of our healthcare system."

We must shift the conversation. We need to frame caregiving not as a barrier to work, but as a reality of modern life and a source of valuable skills. We need to speak of working caregivers not as employees with a "problem," but as dedicated professionals contributing to both their families and the economy. We need to recognize that supporting caregivers is not a cost center - meaning a department or activity viewed solely for the expenses it incurs without directly generating revenue - but rather a crucial investment that yields significant returns through reduced turnover, increased productivity, and a stronger, more resilient workforce.

Beyond the purely economic argument, viewing support for caregivers as just a cost center reflects a narrow, accounting-based perspective that often assumes individuals and businesses are driven solely by self-interest and maximizing immediate profit. As a community of humans, our reality is more complex. We are connected by empathy, shared responsibility, and the understanding that caring for one another is fundamental to a healthy society. Supporting those who provide care isn't just about maximizing business efficiency; it's about upholding our shared values and recognizing the inherent dignity and contribution of both the caregiver and the person receiving care. It's an investment in our collective well-being.

Beyond the Rhetoric: Actionable Steps for a Cultural Shift

Changing how society perceives and values unpaid caregiving requires more than just acknowledging the "care economy" and citing its economic value. It demands conscious effort from all of us to challenge outdated norms and redefine the language we use. As advocates, these are practical ways we can implement the principles discussed in the first part of Caring for Change to influence cultural change:

• Choose Your Words Carefully: Instead of passively saying you're dealing with a "family issue," talk about your role as a "care partner" or "care provider." Refer to the tasks you perform not as burdens, but as essential "care work" or "care management." Frame the time spent not as time away from work, but as time dedicated to vital family support, recognizing its foundational value.

• Share Your Story (As You're Comfortable): Personal narratives are powerful. When appropriate and safe, share aspects of your caregiving journey with colleagues, friends, and family. Describe the skills you've developed – problem-solving, negotiation, crisis management, empathy, resilience – and how they make you more effective in all areas of your life, including work.

• Educate Others: Gently correct misconceptions when you hear them. If someone refers to caregiving as "babysitting" or a "personal distraction," calmly explain the complexity, skill, and dedication involved in managing someone's health and daily needs. Highlight the economic contribution of unpaid care.

• Advocate in Your Workplace: Use your voice in internal discussions. Share articles like this. Talk to your HR department or managers about the needs of working caregivers and the benefits of inclusive policies, referencing data on retention and productivity. Seek out or form caregiver employee resource groups (ERGs).

• Engage in Community Dialogue: Participate in local discussions about aging, disability, and family support. Share your perspective on the importance of recognizing and supporting caregivers in community planning and resource allocation.

• Challenge Media Portrayals: Be mindful of how caregivers are depicted in media. Support content that accurately reflects the realities, challenges, and value of caregiving.

This collective effort to redefine the narrative at a personal and community level is crucial for building the foundation for broader systemic change.

This shift in language is the foundation for meaningful policy change. My work with the Caregiver Advocacy and Support Initiative (CASI) and as Director of Advocacy for Professionals Who Care is centered on translating this reframed narrative into legislative action. In Colorado, the proposed Colorado CARE (Caregiver Accommodation & Rights Expansion) Act seeks to amend C.R.S 24-34-402 of the Colorado Anti-Discrimination Act (CADA) to recognize family caregivers as a protected class, ensuring a statutory right to reasonable accommodations in the workplace.

Our approach, detailed in the CARE Act draft, is deliberate and fiscally responsible. It addresses concerns about undue burden by proposing a graduated fee-based funding mechanism, incorporating a TABOR exemption with voter approval, and implementing a phased rollout with fiscal checkpoints. We emphasize the economic benefits, projecting positive returns through reduced public assistance needs, a maintained tax base, healthcare savings, and business productivity gains. This isn't just about doing the right thing socially; it's about smart economic policy that recognizes the human element is foundational to economic success.

Simultaneously, we are pushing for change at the federal level with the proposed Federal CARE Act, aiming to amend Article 42 of the Americans with Disabilities Act to provide similar protections nationwide. This dual focus underscores the urgency and the scope of the issue – working caregivers need support and recognition, both locally and nationally.

Professionals Who Care is dedicated to creating an inclusive workplace for every professional who is also a caregiver. Our mission is to advocate for this inclusion, increase allyship, reduce marginalization, and build community. We firmly believe that a workplace designed with greater flexibility and support is "good for business." Caregivers bring skills like resilience, problem-solving, and time management – traits that make them "ideal employees & optimal leaders." Policies inclusive of caregivers demonstrably improve recruitment, retention, and morale for all employees.

Let us commit to changing how we speak about caregivers and caregiving. Let's move beyond the silent crisis and into open recognition of the care economy's value, as articulated by pioneers like Riane Eisler and demonstrated by the billions of dollars in care provided unpaid each year. Let's advocate for policies, like the Colorado and Federal CARE Acts, that reflect this understanding and provide the necessary protections and accommodations. By changing the conversation and taking action in our daily lives, we can build workplaces and a society that truly supports the millions who provide essential care, benefiting everyone in the process.

Join the Movement - Your Voice Matters!

This post has outlined the crucial shift in perspective needed to elevate caregiving in our society and economy. In future installments of this series, we will explore other facets of driving change. In the meantime, your voice is needed now.

Join us at Professionals Who Care. Follow our page and engage with our content. Let's make the #FutureOfWork one where caregivers are seen, valued, and supported. Your support is crucial for our advocacy efforts. Please also sign my petition on Change.org at the link here: Empower Working Caregivers: Enact Federal & Colorado CARE Act to Amend ADA & CADA to show your support for legislative change. Finally, please share this article widely with your network. Every share helps amplify the voices of working caregivers and build the momentum needed for real change.

Kindly,

Mark Fukae

Director of Advocacy | Professionals Who Care