According to AARP, one in six American adults is currently serving in a primary caregiving role. And the need for caregivers will only continue to grow; in just ten years, older adults are projected to outnumber children for the first time in history. As employees struggle to balance the responsibilities of work and caregiving, individual productivity inevitably suffers, inflicting a significant cost on the employer. In addition, a recent CDC report says that 19.2% of unpaid caregivers suffer declining health, further impacting their employer.
Available Tools and Resources
A recent Cambia Health Solutions report states that about 64% of caregivers are using at least one digital tool to manage their caregiving responsibilities more efficiently. And today, more employers are providing digital services to help employees manage their unpaid caregiving responsibilities and access expert resources. Each caregiver is different, so there’s no one-size-fits-all benefit or program. Although there are many tools and resources available, even the most well-intended programs will not be successful if employees do not understand what the resources are, how they can address their specific needs, and where to access solutions. How can an employer best help?
Customizing Solutions to the Caregiver
Caregivers provide highly personal, often emotionally charged care to loved ones, so it makes sense that a personalized, one-on-one approach to finding the resources appropriate to a particular situation would be the most productive approach. Counselors meet individually with each employee, using a flexible, interactive program that asks questions and guides the employee in the best direction to meet their particular caregiving needs, all while protecting personal privacy.
Long-Term Care Insurance Helps Satisfy Future Needs
Organizations that employ this interactive individualized method of helping their employees do not pay anything for the service. Instead, during each half-hour session every employee is offered the opportunity to safeguard tomorrow’s caregiving needs by enrolling in a permanent, portable, payroll deducted life and long-term insurance voluntary benefit. The insurance protects the employee or family member immediately and also protects their retirement income later in life. Enough employees take advantage of the voluntary benefit offering to make the individualized counseling service free to their employer.
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