Balancing Care and Career: How Edward Jones Supports Caregivers

Financial advisors seek to find common ground with their clients, but some shared experiences have greater impact. For many clients and financial advisors alike, caregiving can be a moving and challenging season of life.

Financial advisors not only need support to successfully serve their clients who are caregivers — 85% say they have clients in the role — they need support as they navigate caregiving themselves.

At Edward Jones, we’ve created a supportive culture that empowers financial advisors to care for both their clients and their loved ones.

I recently had the opportunity to connect with Emily Stewart, a financial advisor in Newton, Kansas. Caregiving is part of her daily life since Emily’s husband, James Stewart, is a disabled veteran with PTSD.

David: Welcome and thank you for making time to share your experiences, Emily. To start, can you tell me more about your career here at Edward Jones?

Emily: Edward Jones has been a part of my family since 1984. That’s when my dad joined the firm as a financial advisor. I always knew I wanted to help people and it seemed a natural fit for me to become a branch office administrator with Edward Jones in 2007, working in an office in Wichita. I studied to become a financial advisor and am so happy to follow in my dad’s footsteps.

David: We have a lot of people from the same family who work at Edward Jones, sometimes over multiple generations. So, I love hearing your story. At some point in your career, however, you had to be both a financial advisor and a caregiver. Please tell us more.

Emily: My husband, James, is a disabled veteran with combat PTSD. My caregiving experience is different than some. War has had a profound impact on James. For one, he has severe night terrors and his ability to be in public is difficult at best. He goes to sporting events for his children and he tries not to show how hard it is, but the signs are visible.

David: That’s a lot, Emily. What responsibilities does this put on you?

Emily: It’s very hard. His PTSD complicates a lot of what we do. Medical care, such as surgery, can be hard since he wakes from anesthesia thinking he’s in a war zone. There are a lot of examples. Yet, I have to get up and go to work and leave him, hoping he is going to be in a good frame of mind for the day.

David: And I know you’re also a successful financial advisor, so you have a lot of demands on your time – as well as the physical, financial, emotional and mental toll of such intense caregiving. Have you received any support to help you meet all these demands?

Emily: Edward Jones has given me so much support. If not for the flexibility I’m offered, I wouldn’t be able to go to James’ doctor and VA appointments. I’ve also had a lot of support from the client support team in my branch office. It’s comforting to know that the firm understands that many of us are up against some serious caregiving responsibilities – and has taken action to support us.

David: Yes, we’ve put in place a number of programs to help caregivers. Our Employee Assistance Program includes Headspace, which offers 24/7 mental health support for associates and their families. We believe this round-the-clock coverage fills a critical need. We also support our employees with Business Resource Groups, including one for members of the military, veterans and their families. This group raises awareness and understanding of military members, veterans and military families’ situations and addresses their needs.

Emily: It’s hard to understand if you haven’t lived through these experiences, so these types of programs can make a big difference.

David: You’re a caregiver yourself but many of your clients are also caregivers. This gives you a unique perspective. What issues do you see as a caregiver and a financial advisor?

Emily: I see up close the financial impact of caregiving. I wasn’t surprised to see in Edward Jones’ recent survey that virtually all financial advisors – 94% — said caregiving means significant financial sacrifices. But there’s a lot of love there, too. Virtually all financial advisors (92%) said their caregiving clients are willing to reduce their own financial security to support their loved ones. That makes perfect sense to me.

David: One other thing I want to mention is Edward Jones’s grassroots efforts, which you are a part of, that advocate for policies to promote greater long-term financial health to enhance retirement preparedness. That must be a special experience for you.

Emily: Edward Jones understands the importance of federal support for caregivers and is actively advocating on their behalf. We’re championing caregivers nationwide by supporting policies that promote long-term financial well-being for our clients, colleagues, communities and society.

David: Emily, thank you for sharing your personal story and your experiences at Edward Jones. It gives us a clear perspective on the demands caregivers face, and how we can support both our financial advisors who are caregivers – and our clients who are caregivers. This is an issue that’s only going to grow.

Emily: Thank you for giving me the opportunity to share my story. Edward Jones has been very supportive, allowing me to find that balance between my career and caring for James. It means a lot to me.

If you’re interested in joining a company that helps financial advisors balance career and caregiving responsibilities, visit our Careers page for more information.