As a member of the Sandwich Generation, I’m all too familiar with the dilemma of having to take care of an aging or ill parent while caring for your own family as well as maintaining a job. When my mother was ill, I missed a great deal of work. While I was fortunate enough to be able to work it out with my employer, many workers aren’t as lucky as I was, and are penalized for work time lost.
A unique program at the Fred Weber Construction Company in Maryland Heights, MO, called Caring Workplace, allows employees to continue working while caring for an elderly relative.
The employer pays $2 a month to the program for each enrolled worker and the benefits are many:
When employees enroll in the program, they get unlimited free counseling – face-to-face, phone or e-mail – and referral services from an elder care specialist. The program also entitles an employee to a 10 percent discount for an in-home assessment and home health care services given to the relative.
While there is no way around senior care being expensive, sometimes part of the battle is knowing where to start and how to obtain services. The search for care and services can further take away from work productivity when you have to do the legwork yourself. The free counseling can be invaluable as the elder care process can really take a lot out of a caregiver. To have that support in the workplace is a very rare gift.
Does your employer offer a caregiver-friendly program? Tell us about it, or share your thoughts for what you’d like to see.
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Check out Seniors for Living.com « Caregiver Spirituality Online says,
[...] http://www.seniorsforliving.com/blog/2009/08/27/a-caring-workplace-employee-benefits-related-to-care... [...]
on 27 August 2009 / 4:13 PM
Annette Gonzalez says,
As a former caregiver for my parents while working a full time job, I appreciate the “A Caring Workplace” program. I was fortunate that my employer was generous with the time I had to spend on my parents’ care.
It would be great if this program was replicated nationwide. The free counseling and referral service is a real plus. The stress of working while caregiving cannot be overestimated.
on 27 August 2009 / 6:36 PM
Rachel says,
I think there’s an increased interest in programs similar to what Caring Workplace offers. We deliver the same program and while many employers are cutting benefits, this is one program that isn’t being cut.
Our telephonic care managers are social workers with a lot of geriatric experience and when I hear them talk about cases, they always mention their therapeutic approach. They address the feelings, concerns, thoughts that the caregiver is having then take care of the real-life needs of who’s going to bathe Mom now and how are they going to make sure that Dad is getting regular meals.
We’re people first and it’s important a service like CareGuide@Home (and our competitors) are focused on that.
on 27 August 2009 / 6:49 PM
Michelle Seitzer says,
Excellent article…we need more programs like these!
on 28 August 2009 / 1:33 PM
Twitter Tuesday Tips for the Sandwich Generation 9-1-09 | SandwichINK.com says,
[...] so many in the Baby Boomer Generation also becoming part of the Sandwich Generation, this company has a great program, Caring [...]
on 01 September 2009 / 6:51 AM
Patricia Grace says,
Aging with Grace is pleased to have blazed the trail for others to follow.
To learn more about Aging with Grace and our newest program to assist working caregivers…Aging with Grace VA Benefit Consultants please visit http://www.agingwithgrace.net
Patricia Grace
on 09 November 2009 / 2:30 PM
Dilaurdoctor says,
Physicians provide consultations 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.Please visit more details
on 07 July 2011 / 4:09 AM