Improved LifeWorks resources ease the squeeze of elder care
Summer is a time for fun-filled summer camps, child care programs and a much needed respite from the hectic pace of school for both parents and children. But for those caring for an older family member, summer didn't provide a vacation from caregiving. In fact, the year-round responsibilities associated with elder care take a toll on workers who juggle career and family.
Balancing work while caring for aging parents
This summer, ABC's Good Morning America reported on the conflicts and struggles that caregivers face when taking care of older relatives. In this report, Tory Johnson provides practical advice on how employees can broach the topic of caregiving responsibilities with employers -- and work together to find a winning solution.
Read the full report on ABC's Web site."Elder care is a growing concern for employers and employees," says Jennifer Piliero, Ceridian product manager. "Up until a few years ago, people weren't open to talking about elder care challenges, but that's changing. In May 2007, LifeWorks Online data indicated that caregiver support and stress was the second most popular issue for employees seeking information related to elder care."
Counting up the costs of caregivingThe average cost for every employee with intense caregiving responsibilities (more than 12 hours a week) is $2,441 annually for companies, according to the MetLife Caregiving Cost Study: Productivity Losses to U.S. Business (July 2006). And a report by the Washington College of Law at American University reveals that nearly one in four households provides care for elderly relatives (HR Magazine, "We Are Family," April 2007). The report further estimates that in the next 20 years, nearly 40 percent of the workforce will be caring for the elderly. Then there's the real tug of war for those workers who represent the sandwich generation -- employees who care for their children while also caring for their aging parents. These workers may need to make many work-related adjustments, from coming in late or leaving early to reducing work schedules or dropping out of the workforce entirely. Consequently, caregivers often feel isolated and experience stress from the burden of balancing caregiving, work and other family responsibilities. Moreover, caregiving can negatively affect the caregiver's own health, resulting in more doctor visits and higher insurance costs for the employer. All of these facts strongly support the need for employers to proactively manage the needs of employees with family caregiving responsibilities, including: employee assistance and work-life programs, family and medical leave, scheduling adjustments for employees with family care responsibilities, and policies on modified work schedules, telework options and flex time. A helping hand
"We have seen significant growth in the use of elder care services among our clients with Ceridian's WorkLife service, as well as the Ceridian Elder and Adult Care Management Services program," Piliero says. "This can be attributed to a number of factors, including demographics, communication, program awareness and recognition that caregiving responsibilities can be complex and overwhelming. Often, people are not prepared to take on the multitude of tasks associated with managing care for an elder, whether it's short-term, crisis-related or long-term. Individuals are often overwhelmed by the complexity and myriad of decisions that need to be made within a short time period when an elder care crisis surfaces." Employee family caregivers now have even better resources from Ceridian LifeWorks for caregiving support and education with newly repackaged materials on LifeWorks Online. Participants can select "Older Adults" from the left navigation menu to find holistic caregiver information. Information includes access to a robust set of online tools, publications and Web links. These resources are intended to assist caregivers as they navigate the ever-changing world of caring for older relatives. In addition to our award-winning educational materials, LifeWorks offers employee assistance program (EAP) services that can be combined with materials for comprehensive employee support. Contact your Ceridian representative for more information about these important resources.
