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One in Four Employees Are Caring for Older Adult
Workplace Options’ Study Reveals Employer-Provided Caregiving Assistance Can Reduce Time Missed at Work
Contact:
Christine Hall
chall@capstrat.com
919-882-1998
09 June 2008 – Raleigh, NC – A national survey of working adults commissioned by Workplace Options (WPO), the largest provider of work-life employee benefits in America, found that nearly one in four employees are providing care for an older or disabled adult. Of those respondents currently providing geriatric care, 44% have missed time at work to care for their ailing loved ones.
Work-life services, such as WPO’s Advantage Geriatric Care Assist, Care Coach and Back-Up Care Advantage, are providing employees with customized solutions to help them provide a safe and independent lifestyle for their parent or loved one. For example, trained Geriatric Care Managers can coordinate and monitor home health services, conduct in-home consultations and assessments, and offer transportation solutions based on the needs and preferences of the senior.
“Trying to self-manage a parent’s care is both time consuming and stressful,” says Alan King, president and chief operating officer for WPO. “An effective work-life balance eases both of these problems. With caregiving support, employees can focus on their other work and life goals knowing that their loved one is receiving the care they need.”
With WPO’s award-winning Care Coach, employees and employee families can receive help with a senior care plan telephonically – well-suited for virtual meetings with family members in different geographical locations. Services such as Back-Up Care Advantage provide family members with emergency back-up care services for seniors in the event other care plans fail.
According to the 2008 National Study of Employers released by the Families and Work Institute, 39% of employers today provide access to information about services for elderly family members. WPO’s poll indicates that 61% of respondents would utilize a service that assisted with caregiving if it was provided by the employer free of charge.
“Nearly half of workers polled feel it’s very important for employers to provide caregiving assistance benefits to their employees,” said Dean Debnam, chief executive officer for WPO. “Interestingly, employees are often less likely to discuss elder care issues than child care concerns in the workplace. Openly supporting employees who are facing elder caregiving challenges is critical to making them feel like they don’t have to face the hurdles of senior care alone.”
The national survey, conducted by the North Carolina firm of Public Policy Polling on April 3, polled 638 working adults. The survey has a margin of error of ± 3.7%.
About Workplace Options
Workplace Options helps employees balance their work, family and personal life in order to make their lives healthier, easier and more productive. The company's world-class employee support and work-life services provide information, resources, referrals and consultation on a variety of issues ranging from dependent care, legal and financial issues to stress management and wellness.
Drawing from an international network of credentialed providers and professionals, Workplace Options is the world's largest integrated employee support services and work-life provider. Service centers in Raleigh. N.C., London, Toronto and Dublin support more than 32 million employees in 20,000 organizations, across 170 countries. To learn more, visit www.workplaceoptions.com.
© 2012 Workplace Options, Inc. All rights reserved.
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