Care Meets Career, Establishing a Caregiver Community at Purdue

Working caregivers navigate a complex and often invisible mental load as they balance work responsibilities, caregiving roles, maintaining social relationships, and tending to their own health and well-being. This presentation introduces a new PACADA subcommittee focused on fostering a supportive and inclusive community for Purdue staff.

The initiative centers on three interconnected goals: building peer connection, increasing institutional awareness of working-caregiver needs, and advocating for practical supports that promote retention, well-being, and career advancement. Through structured networking opportunities, resource sharing, and collaboration with campus leadership, the program seeks to reduce isolation, normalize conversations around caregiving and the mental load that working caregivers may face, and create pathways for collective problem-solving. The presentation will outline the rationale for the initiative, describe its development and early implementation, and highlight opportunities for participation.