Vulnerable Caretakers & Income
One day, I was working out of my favorite coffee shop, North Shore Boulangerie, a cozy French bakery which has wonderful walk-in traffic for locals with a friendly feel, a great smell of freshly cooked bread, and a wonderful ambiance. A few tables over, an acquaintance from my mom’s group named Jessie was working nearby. We began discussing if women who had babies could start businesses.
Jessie looked me straight in the eye and said, “Starting a business from home with small children and no childcare is not reasonable. Women need to have a sitter and, or, a partner who shoulders his part of the load, in addition to ample funds.” We agreed that most women do not have the funds to have childcare and start a business without having an additional job.
I live in a world where many women are caretakers, disconnected from their network, and find it hard to reconnect. When temporarily deciding to be a caretaker instead of pursuing a full-time career, women may feel alone and afraid when they hear they will take a hit in wage, career advancement, and wealth. (Source: Michael Madowitz, Alex Rowell, and Katie Hamm, Calculating the Hidden Cost of Interrupting a Career for Child Care (Washington DC: Center for American Progress, 2016), 1–22.) These women are not alone. Sixty-five percent of caretakers are women, and they shoulder an immense responsibility to keep those in their charge safe. (Source: NAC and AARP Public Policy Institute, 2015 Report Caregiving in the U.S., National Alliance for Caregiving and AARP Public Policy Institute (Washington D.C.: NAC and AARP Public Policy Institute, 2015), 14.)
A family may not want to outsource caregiving; even if they did, in many cases, it may not make sense. When families evaluate their current and future path on the Wheel of Life, they must meet the needs of many factors, not just financial. Regardless, hiring a caretaker is expensive. Some women have support with caregiving, and some do not. For example, women “handle the most difficult caregiving tasks (i.e., bathing, toileting, and dressing),” with a possibility of spending as much as 50 percent more time providing care than men. (Source: NAC and AARP Public Policy Institute, 2015 Report Caregiving in the U.S., National Alliance for Caregiving and AARP Public Policy Institute (Washington D.C.: NAC and AARP Public Policy Institute, 2015), 8.) (Source: “Aging in America,” Education, Institute on Aging, accessed March 28, 2021.)
Some particular caretakers who are especially vulnerable are:
- transplants moving to new locations
- immigrants unfamiliar with local customs
- single parents or only children with no local support
- experience verbal, emotional, physical, and psychological abuse
- professionals disconnected locally
- casualties of betrayal and territorialism
- charged with excessive responsibility which includes having 1) multiple small children in their care. 2) special needs and disabled individuals in their care (Source: Diana Boesch and Katie Hamm, Valuing Women’s Caregiving During and After the Coronavirus Crisis (Washington DC: Center for American Progress, 2020), 1–8.) and 3) no help given from a partner, neighbor, or family.
A caretaker without adequate support walks down a tough road. There are few standards for what constitutes adequate support, and many caretakers are impacted by the above situations. Years of excessive caregiving can dampen the spirit of someone, causing them to feel isolated, incomplete, and inadequate. Yet, as these responsibilities lighten over time, a caregiver can flourish by starting a business.
To better advocate for women and their success, you can read this article and many more in my book, Surrounded by Awesome Women: Unlocking a New Model of Women’s Success in Business and Entrepreneurship for the Next Decade by Sheila Long and published by New Degree Press.
