Employee Wellness Programs for Family Caregivers: Not Just a Nice Idea, but a Sound Investment

This Huffington Post blog makes the case for employers to focus wellness programs on family caregivers. About 60% of American family caregivers are employed. Of those who are employed, 66% have had to make some adjustments to their work life -- from arriving late to work, to giving up work entirely -- and 20% have had to take a leave of absence. Caregiving takes a physical, mental and emotional toll on the caregiver, so with such a large percentage of people caring for their loved ones, corporate America also has taken a hit: Businesses lose about $34 billion annually as a result of employees caregiving for family members age 50 or older and corporations also pay 8% more in health care costs, worth $13.4 billion per year, as a result of employees caregiving for elderly individuals.

For these reasons, experts note, corporations need to become aware of and responsive to the needs of family caregivers -- not only for the sake of the caregiver's wellness, but for the sake of the corporation's bottom dollar. While absenteeism has received attention in management science for years, the idea of presenteeism is a relatively new concept, defined as working while ill or staying at work beyond the time needed for effective performance on the job. Companies are becoming interested in the impact of how "present" and focused employees are at work, when they are distracted with outside stressors, with family caregiving being one of largest source of this stress. Experts agree that employers need to have a strategy in place to deal with family caregiving issues, before these issues drain the employees' mental health and wellbeing. Employers can consider a range of potential options, such as flex-time programs that are independent of sick leave programs, work-from-home options, caregiver support groups, on-site day care for children, and professional guidance in selecting assisted living facilities.