How can I balance work with caring for a family member with dementia?
Between work, medical appointments, and unexpected things at home, I feel like I'm always failing somewhere. How do other people manage this?
Trying to manage work and care for a family member with dementia at the same time often feels like having two full-time jobs. If you feel like you're constantly putting out fires, it's not a sign of your incompetence; it's the result of a genuinely difficult situation to manage. There are specific rights and strategies that can ease this pressure.
Your rights at work
The Informal Carer's Statute, established by Law no. 100/2019, provides the right to flexible working hours for those caring for a dependent family member. It also includes the right to take time off or adjust hours to accompany the person being cared for to appointments and treatments. These rights exist precisely for situations like yours, and it's worth speaking to your company's HR department to understand how to apply them in your specific case.
What you can do this week
- Talk openly with your employer: explaining the situation, even if it feels uncomfortable, often opens doors to solutions you weren't aware of, such as partial remote work or adjusted hours.
- Centralise appointments and commitments: try to schedule medical appointments on fixed days or times; this makes it easier to plan work around them.
- Identify a support network for emergencies: always have a trusted person who can step in during a sudden unforeseen event, so you don't have to rely solely on yourself at all times.
- Evaluate formal support during your working hours: home care or a day centre for a few hours a day can make the difference between being able to keep your job or not.
"I thought I had to choose between my job and my mum. When I finally spoke to my boss about the informal carer's statute, I managed to get different hours three days a week. It didn't solve everything, but it took a huge weight off my shoulders."
Where to seek help in Portugal
To understand how to activate flexible hours and other rights provided by the Informal Carer's Statute, the recognition process is done through Social Security, with the support of the health centre's social services. The SNS 24 Line (808 24 24 24) can also clarify doubts about available support. You don't have to solve this alone or choose between your livelihood and your family member; there are ways to reconcile the two.