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Holidays Mark Turning Point for Many Families with Aging Relatives
Survey Shows Growing Interest in Employer-Sponsored Elder Care Assistance
Contact:
Christine Hall
chall@capstrat.com
919-882-1998
10 November 2008 – Raleigh, NC – As families come together for the holidays, they often notice that older family members are not able to take care of themselves like they used to. Concern for older family members is increasing along with the aging population, and making informed decisions about elder care can be very stressful and time-consuming. Finding appropriate, quality care for aging family members is a paramount concern for many working adults, and worrying about this major decision can take a heavy toll on work-life balance.
A national survey of working adults commissioned by Workplace Options (WPO), the largest provider of work-life employee benefits in America, found that more than half of the respondents are concerned that an older family member may not be able to take care of themselves on their own and need assistance. Of those respondents, thirty percent have an older family member that needs additional in-home help or placement. WPO’s poll also indicates that 54 percent of respondents would utilize senior care resources if provided by their employer.
“After the holidays, WPO usually experiences a spike in calls about elder care assistance “said Dean Debnam, chief executive officer for WPO. “During these annual gatherings, many families find themselves in a new and difficult situation with their aging parents or relatives. While the family is together, it’s a good time to pay attention to older family members, see how they are managing and determine if they need assistance.”
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, 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.
“More than half of workers polled feel it’s very important for employers to provide caregiving assistance benefits to their employees,” said Alan King, president and chief operating officer for WPO. “Openly supporting employees who are facing elder care challenges is critical to making them feel like they don’t have to manage this major transition alone. With easy access to caregiving resources, employees can focus on their other work and other responsibilities knowing that they have both support and informed options.”
When visiting older family members during the holidays, there are a variety of indicators that could signal a family member’s need for assistance. WPO advises to look for signs such as a change in eating habits or grooming, mail and bills piling up or a formerly neat home becoming untidy. Difficulties with memory, failure to take medications or unsteadiness when standing or walking are also signs to watch out for.
The national survey, conducted by the North Carolina firm of Public Policy Polling on October 17-19, polled 715 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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