Who Helps the Person Who's Helping Grandma?
It's not your imagination. You are seeing more ads for denture cleansers and assisted living apartments. We are in the midst of a generational shift. By 2050, the number of seniors aged 65 or older will have tripled. With this growth comes a corresponding increase in the number of people who have to provide unpaid assistance to see that the physical, psychological and/or social needs of an aging loved one are met. In the past year, one in five people have become involved in some level of caregiving, spending an average of 20 hours a week. These duties are often on top of working full- or part-time and handling other family responsibilities. Recent studies reveal that the average American can expect to spend more years caring for a parent that caring for his or her own children.
With two-thirds of all caregivers also employed outside that home, American businesses are paying attention to new challenges. The cost in lost productivity, worker replacement, absenteeism and other consequences of employees focusing more on caregiving duties than on work can amount to $29 billion annually.
Across the country, new federally funded programs are trying to assess the full impact of this caregiver role on American society and to develop practical solutions to meet their needs. Here in St. Louis, The Caring Workplace is testing options for addressing the issues facing employed caregivers for the elderly. Over three years, the project staff will work with several pioneering employers to test various models for giving their employees who also care for an elderly relative cost-effective geriatric care management and support services. The goal is to help employees provide quality care while being productive and committed workers. More than 15,300 employees in the St. Louis area will have access to help that's never before been available through their place of work. The program will ultimately result in a variety of solutions for helping employed caregivers, solutions that can be used across the nation as the best practices are shared.
Other programs under way recognize that people can be overwhelmed by the responsibilities of providing care even if they are not juggling work. Because caregiving for an older loved one is so different from caring for a child, people are dealing with issues they are not prepared for and simply don't know where to turn for help. Similar programs are under way in communities throughout the country. We need to learn what works to help a generation of caregivers be better prepared to handle added responsibilities.
Ann Bannes is vice president of home- and community-based services for St. Andrew's At-Home Services, lead agency on the Caring Workplace program.