Promoting Well-being in Pharmacy Faculty or Staff with Caregiver Roles

There is limited literature addressing work-life challenges caregivers face while working in pharmacy academia. Identifying these challenges and solutions can help increase their well-being and retention. Caregiving responsibilities vary from short-term support required during an acute illness or following an accident, to long-term care for an individual that can extend over months to years, such as aging parents, partners, family members, or children with chronic illnesses, conditions, or diseases. Pharmacy faculty and staff serving as caregivers face challenges such as the cognitive load associated with managing caretaking needs with workplace tasks and responsibilities. They also face challenges related to support networks that may diminish while fulfilling caretaking responsibilities resulting from decreased time, decreased attendance at work, or privacy concerns. This lack of a support network can lead to increased stress and burnout and decreased job retention. Potential solutions include fostering a supportive environment, increasing communication, conducting needs assessments, exploring flexible work arrangements and tailoring solutions, pausing promotion clocks and evaluations, facilitating support networks, and recognizing post-caregiving needs. Colleges and Schools of Pharmacy that proactively acknowledge and support caregiving as a reality, foster greater faculty and staff well-being, retention, and overall positive and nurturing cultures.