Many employers work hard to ensure that the physical and emotional needs of their clients are readily met. Health and wellness initiatives are the norm at many corporations and employees are given the option of a flexible work environment. There is, however, a growing need among a sizable number of workers that is not being met: They care for their sick or aging loved ones and often don’t have the support they need to perform either of their jobs effectively.
According to a 2013 Gallup Poll, 15 percent of the U.S. workforce consists of individuals who care for a loved one. That figure is only expected to increase as our nation’s population continues to age. Employees who do not receive the support they need are often less productive and may have higher rates of tardiness and absenteeism. In an article on the website Next Avenue, caregiving expert Sherri Snelling wrote that employers often do not realize that caring for an aging relative is a major issue.
“Not knowing about their workers’ responsibilities creates a dilemma for employers,” Snelling wrote. “Some report caregiving resources and services available to employees go underutilized, causing HR departments to feel there is no need to keep them. In reality, there is a growing need. But both parties need to turn up the volume in communicating with each other.”
Working caregivers often find themselves leaving the office in the middle of the day to take Mom or Dad to an appointment or spending their lunch hour on the phone trying to confirm with a love one that they took their medications. Independa’s remote caregiving solutions allow family members to stay in touch at times when it’s not easy to leave work.
Are you dealing with the dilemma of caring for a loved one and trying to balance a full-time job? Come to the Independa Facebook page and tell us your story. What advice do you have for folks in the same situation?
