Wednesday, April 4, 2001

Aging population puts spotlight on eldercare

People today are living longer than ever and, as baby boomers continue graying into the next three decades, seniors will become one of the nation's largest age groups. It's a demographic shift that will lead to greater responsibility for adult children.

According to a survey by the National Alliance for Caregiving/AARP, more than 22 million U.S. households are involved in some kind of eldercare. That translates to some 14.4 million full- and part-time employees who are also caregivers.

The typical caretaker is female, age 46, employed, spending 18 hours a week helping out her mother. Pressured to juggle the responsibilities of an elderly parent and a career, she's on a path that could lead to absenteeism, lower productivity even resignation.

Eldercare issues have exacted a price on the workplace between $11 billion and $29 billion per year, according to MetLife. That includes the cost of absenteeism, tardiness, workday interruptions and replacement of employees who quit due to caregiving responsibilities.

"Eldercare is to this new century what childcare was to the '80s and '90s a 'hot button' issue that can go a long way in retaining employees and keeping productivity high," said Denise Spiewak, senior director at Kelly Assisted Living Services.

Recently, eldercare has caught the attention of employee assistance programs (EAPs).

"Companies offering EAP-supported eldercare can realize significant cost savings," adds Spiewak, whose company provides screened, bonded caregivers to help elderly clients with daily activities such as bathing, dressing and meals, plus the tasks cited as most common for family caregivers: transportation, grocery shopping and light housekeeping.

But what professional caregivers mostly deliver, says Spiewak, is relief "relief for elderly clients who stay independent with the help of our caregivers, respite for their adult children who can concentrate on work during work hours and peace of mind for employers."

For information on eldercare programs and Kelly Assisted Living Services, visit the Web site at www.kellyservices.com.

Eldercare workers not only help seniors live more independently, but also reduce the burden of "the sandwich generation"their adult children.

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