Thousands of South Floridians and millions of Americans face daily challenges as they struggle to manage work schedules, parenting responsibilities, personal lives and also care for their aging parents. For many, it can seem overwhelming, and the consequence of not striking a good balance can be devastating.

 

Between 30 to 35 percent of all U.S. workers report that they provide care to an aging parent or disabled family member. At one time or another, most of these family caregivers have to make some adjustments to their work life to accommodate their caregiving responsibilities, whether it’s reporting late to work, taking a leave of absence, or giving up work entirely.

 

In addition to financial hardships, working caregivers can experience a full range of health issues. A 2011 study on baby boomers caring for parents from MetLife found that these individuals are more likely to have fair or poor health than those who do not provide care to their parents. Earlier studies have also shown that stress, incidence of heart disease, and depression are all negatively associated with family caregiving.

 

By addressing the unique needs of working caregivers through worksite wellness programs, employers can improve the health and wellness of their staffs and also yield bottom line savings through reduced absenteeism and lost productivity.

 

Here’s how:

 

• Look for signs of caregiver stress among employees and reach out to them.

Caregivers who are struggling to manage all their responsibilities at home and at work may show signs of fatigue, increased absenteeism or depression. But sometimes they will be reluctant to discuss family caregiving issues in a work setting. By reaching out to them, employers can initiate a dialogue that may help employees understand that they are not alone and there are community resources that may be of help.

 

• Become an information resource for employees with caregiving responsibilities.

Employers are in an excellent position to help employees simply by making available good information. Invite experts to come in and talk on the subject of caring for an elderly or disabled family member. Some organizations, including United HomeCare, offer free seminars to help caregivers learn more about managing their responsibilities, provide basic caregiving tips, and also share information on community resources and support groups.

 

• Educate employees about home care services they can obtain with flex care plans.

Many employees who participate in flex care plans may not realize that some home care services for a dependent parent or other family member may be paid from flex care plans. Human Resources professionals can help communicate this information to employees and the conditions that must be met to qualify.

 

Helping working caregivers is a win-win situation. Employers not sure how to begin can contact the Caregiver Resource Center at United HomeCare to learn about the no-cost Working Caregiver Assistance Program. Starting with a free survey to assess the needs of employees within their organization that are caregivers, the center works closely with employers to provide the right level of support. That may include worksite lunch and learn workshops and one-on-one care planning consultations, as well as access to all monthly programs and events at the center.