Employment for the Unpaid Family Caregiver

My skills are of worth. As an only child, I have had shared responsibility of care with my Mother for my Oma and Stepdad,  And now, I have growing responsibilities for her. Through today's technologies I enable quality of life. With healthful strength and energy, I ensure the business of living.

As good as I may be at communications, administrative duties and getting the job, chore or errand done, my skills are not taken into consideration by most employers. Looking at it from an employer's perspective, the non-consideration is understandable. No matter how good the reason may be for an employee's absence or tardiness, it will not make up for the damage done to the business' bottom line.

On the first of November, 2012, Barack Obama issued a Presidential Proclamation -- National Family Caregivers Month, 2012 making November NATIONAL FAMILY CAREGIVERS MONTH. In it, the President states:

"Family caregivers have an immeasurable impact on the lives of those they assist, but their hours are long and their work is hard. Many put their own lives on hold to lift up someone close to them." - Barack Obama

This presidential acknowledgement in proclamation is a great first step. But still, there is more to be done.  Those who have "put their own lives on hold" because they have either cut back or quit their jobs, are no longer contributing to the economy or their own social security benefits. Solutions must be found.

As an Unpaid Family Caregiver, I use the technologies I have at hand primarily as an aid. Checking on Mom's benefits, emailing the doctor or doing a web search for her, only takes 10% of my online time. The rest is divided into uneven ratios of research, writing, designing, postings and job hunting.

Virtual assistance is a potential avenue of revenue. From my computer I am able to make reservations, research issues, assemble spreadsheets,build a customized database, post a company blog, write copy, edit submissions, answer your phones, promote your event and even have meetings via Skype or Google Hangout. Virtually everything an administrative assistant does in office, I can do remotely.

Finding a virtual assistant position is proving difficult. The Las Vegas metropolitan area still hovers around 11.5% (bls.gov). But, as it says at the top: Times are tough in today's job market; especially in Nevada. I won't give up. I will find work!

Sources:

Presidential Proclamation -- National Family Caregivers Month, 2012

Download the NFC Month Posters

National Family Caregivers Association 

Fill out my online form.

"Virtual assistants work from a home office. They use the Internet, email, and fax machines to communicate with clients. Although their assignments often vary from short term to long term, their typical duties are similar to those of other secretaries and administrative assistants. Working from a remote location allows virtual assistants to support multiple clients in different industries at the same time."

Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2012-13 Edition, Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, on the Internet at http://www.bls.gov/ooh/office-and-administrative-support/secretaries-and-administrative-assistants.htm (visited November 08, 2012). 

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