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One in four employees currently cares for an older or disabled adult. Of those employees, nearly half (44%) have missed work time to care for a loved one, finds a new national survey of working adults conducted by work-life benefits firm Workplace Options.
"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."
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," says 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, included over 600 working adults.
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