As our population ages, caregiving of elderly family members is becoming an additional job for many employees. According to AARP, an estimated 61 percent of elder caregivers are employed either full- or part-time. While these employees want to excel at their paying and non-paying (caregiving) jobs, trying to do it all can take an emotional, physical, and financial toll on them.
The National Alliance for Caregiving estimates that employers lose as much as $34 billion each year due to caregiver absenteeism, lost productivity, increased health care costs, and replacement costs.
Workplace benefits for caregivers can help employees balance their work, personal lives, and family caregiving responsibilities while lowering absenteeism, increasing retention, and reducing costs. Here are some ideas:
Tips for coordinators
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Create workplace policies that include flexible schedules, the opportunity for reduced work hours, and options for working from home. Use this Employer Resource Guide to learn more about supporting your caregiving employees.
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Show support for caregiving employees by asking them to share their experiences or ideas, highlighting them in your employee newsletter, or creating a caregiving support or discussion group.
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Educate and provide information about eldercare services and issues by providing eldercare lunch and learns.
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Sign up for this free employer newsletter to learn more about the needs of working caregivers, the impact on your organization, and what to do to help both.
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Build a library of materials with information on caregiving strategies and resources. Services for MN Seniors provides a variety of helpful links.
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Survey your employees for more ideas and feedback on how your company can support working caregivers.
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