Wife, Sister, Working Mother, Good Daughter, Chief Dish Washer-
all labels that I knew and embraced.

Family Caregiver? Not so much.

In the span of five years, while working full-time and living a sandwich generation existence, I said goodbye first to my Mother from lung cancer, to my Nephew and Godchild from a fluke skiing accident, to my Sister from pancreatic cancer and finally to my Father-in-Law and Dad from congestive heart failure.

During that time, I learned what it was like to shop with elderly parents in mind, cook the lion’s share of their meals, regularly clean their house, liaise with care teams, administer medications and accompany them to many doctor’s appointments, including chemotherapy.

Who knew that was caregiving?

For me, and I suspect many others, eldercare responsibilities can become the tipping point in an already full, demanding lifestyle. My comfort zone was the halls of Corporate America, with its polite colleague interactions and organized work-spaces. In contrast, the world of home health care, where shrinking the living space, understanding disease progression and navigating sibling tensions, was a foreign landscape. Determined to make the most of treasured elementary-school days with my daughter, I was scrambling to find time for checking in at my parents’ house, sitting bedside in hospitals, long-term care/hospice centers or nursing homes, or attending funerals. Whichever scenario I was ensconced in, the self-talk was the same:

Be present, be here for the ones you love, cherish them, because this is time you’ll never get back.

It’s no surprise, then, that my focus at work was on just that: the work. To me, it was no social soiree. The goal on any given day was simply to get my job done and go home. Compartmentalize and put on a good face. As any “how to succeed in business” or leadership primer will attest, building strong colleague relationships and acing workplace savvy are where it’s at. But that’s not where I was at.

Even without a magic looking glass you can probably see where this is going.

Coming up on my five-year workplace anniversary, coincidentally, lock-step in sync with my care-giving years, my Father passed. And I resigned. Physically, mentally and emotionally depleted.

What we do:

Using established methodologies and best practices, I founded We Are Sharing the Sun to help companies support family caregivers and understand the complex challenges that they face. I have had the benefit of an immersive family caregiving experience, while navigating a multi-generational workplace. I understand the importance of talent retention and engagement for this unique employee subset. I also know there are ways for family caregivers to find happiness in their caregiving journey.

Workplace issues we address:

TALENT RETENTION AND ENGAGEMENT

Commitment, retention, and morale increase when employees feel understood and supported.

ENSURE BENEFITS
MATTER

Augment and optimize existing benefits for the unique caregiver subset.

TEAM DYNAMICS

Communicate effectively and authentically with caregivers and their colleagues.

BUSINESS AS USUAL

Maintain organizational standards and productivity, regardless of caregiver emergencies.

In the spirit of compassion and employee engagement,
I’m proud to offer my services in support of others along the way.

Contact me to discuss your organization’s needs and how I can assist.

Sarahbeth Persiani

Principal and Founder – We Are Sharing the Sun

Certified Caregiving Consultant ™

Certified Caregiving Educator™

Senior Professional in Human Resources, SPHR

Dementia Champion – Massachusetts

Certified Trainer of Alzheimer’s Assoc. Habilitation Therapy (Person-Centered Dementia Care)

Board Member – Worcester Elder Services

Board Member – Town Council on Aging

What’s in a name?

The name of my business was initially inspired by a conversation that I had with my father in the weeks leading up to his passing. He was especially lucid, (whether a break from dementia symptoms, or pain medications) and we sat on the patio outside of the nursing home where, for six months, he lived his final days.

On a brilliant summer day in late August, we moved our chairs several times to dodge the shade and stay in sync with the sun’s arching pattern. It was a long visit and our conversation was meaningful. In short, he shared wishes for his children to be fulfilled in their work and happy with the simple pleasures in life.

As we neared the end of our visit, we talked less and enjoyed the quiet comfort of each other’s company. The last time I rolled his wheel chair into the sun and dragged my plastic patio chair alongside, he said, softly, so matter-of-fact- “we’re sharing the sun.”

It always stuck with me.

Years later, reading the wisdom in Ecclesiastes, I learned we are all under the sun, sharing in our human experience while we’re here on earth. Time is short though. Too short to waste. Rather than worrying about this or that, we are wise to keep in mind that we have enough, we have more than enough. We  have our faith, we have each other.