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Eldercare Is More
Complex Than Childcare
By
Nate Murray |
Marshfield - Elder
care is an important issue for many members of today’s work
force. Many analysts assert that businesses lose valuable
production from the estimated 30 percent of working
Americans who care for the needs of elderly parents and
other relatives.
Yet, there is very little support for employees from
businesses for assisting with these issues. Elder care
receives far less publicity than child-care, another very
important issue to workers. Elise =Feuerstein Karras noted
in Small Business Reports, “In many ways, elder care is more
complex than childcare because it covers such a wide range
of needs. Many elderly people need assistance with routine
tasks such as eating, dressing, bathing and obtaining
medical care. But as adults, they also need to pay their
bills, access Social Security benefits and deal with legal
matters such as estate planning. Employees may have to help
with these tasks or arrange for others to do it—sometimes
for relatives who live far away.”
The MetLife Mature Market Institute and the National
Alliance for Caregiving published their findings after
conducting research into this issue. The research shows:
• Six out of 10 employed caregivers took some time out
from work to address care giving duties.
• 21% refused overtime work to take care of an elder.
• 52% of women and 34% of men have experienced workday
interruptions as a result of care giving.
• The average cost per employee to businesses for
employed caregivers is $2441. Some businesses are responding
through Employee Assistance Programs by making service
location and some geriatric care management services
available to employees. Some also provide some access to
inhome care services. Others are expanding their in-house
educational opportunities to include geriatric professionals
who can inform employees about care options. Still others
are supporting inter generational programs where a family
can place both children and parents in the same day-program
based facility.
As the elder population grows and their adult children are
called upon more often for primary care, we can expect an
increasing and expensive impact on businesses.
Helping caregivers access services that will make it
possible to continue productive work and still be assured
that their elderly family members are safe and well cared
for, will be a top priority for human service professionals
in the future. |
About The Author
Nate
Murray, LICSW is the President and Managing Partner of the
Visiting Angels of the South Shore. He may be reached at
(781) 834- 63 55 or online at www.visitingangels.com.
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