Archive for the ‘Caregiving impact on Companies’ Category

Family Caregivers in the Workplace

Posted on: October 24th, 2011 by aagingbetter

If employees spent less time worrying about their loved one at home, would they be more productive at work?  Absolutely.  For those employees who serve as caregivers to their elderly parents or perhaps a disable child, peace of mind while they’re working is a huge relief—and we often work with families to provide respite care solutions they can depend on.

A research study done by the National Alliance for Caregiving and Center for Productive Aging from Towson University found that working caregivers spent a substantial amount of time away from the office to fulfill their care duties at home.  In fact, it was reported that:

  • 81% of caregivers routinely took time during the workday to make arrangements for care or to check on their loved one.
  • 70% said they needed days off to attend to their caregiving duties.
  • 64% arrived late or left work early.
  • 41% took time at work to discuss caregiver issues with co-workers.

Today, more and more employers are adding eldercare benefits to keep employees healthy, both mentally and physically. Before an emergency arises, it’s important to ask employers what benefits and resources are available from the company during these times of need.

What are the greatest needs for working caregivers?

  • Flexibility in work schedules
  • Information about aging and local resources
  • Support from coworkers and supervisors
  • Help in making decisions about care options and related issues

What sorts of benefits do eldercare programs typically offer?

  • Work time flexibility
  • Financial assistance
  • Phone or Internet-based resources and referrals
  • Face-to-face consulting
  • Educational activities like on-site seminars and health fair kiosks

If you would like to find out more about respite care options we can provide for you, or would simply like to learn more about our home care services, contact us online or call us at (208) 777-0308 in the Coeur d’Alene, Post Falls or Hayden areas, (208) 263-7889 in the Sandpoint, Bonners Ferry or Priest River areas, or (208) 784-1505 in the Kellogg, Wallace or Pinehurst areas.

 

Hiring a caregiver: Tips to make the best choice for senior safety

Posted on: June 20th, 2011 by aagingbetter

Let’s face it. Inviting someone who is practically a stranger into a loved senior’s home to help care for them can be nerve-wracking.  Finding an appropriate and trustworthy caregiver that you can feel comfortable with and that your loved one can feel safe with is not a decision to be taken lightly.  When searching for an in-home caregiver, be sure to ask these questions:

Are home care workers employees of the agency or are they contractors (e.g., private individuals on a referral registry)? Hiring a caregiver through an agency gives you the added security of knowing the caregiver has been trained, has had a full criminal background check done, and will be be supervised and monitored by the agency’s management team.  It also relieves you or your elderly loved one of being considered an employer with subsequent responsibility for paying taxes and withholdings on your new “employee.”

Are the agency and workers who come into your home bonded? If so, it means they are insured against theft in the unlikely event that something comes up missing.

Is the agency a member of any professional organizations? Oftentimes, high quality agencies will be members of professional organizations such as the National Private Duty Association, which ensures that the agency employs, trains, and supervises their caregivers.

How do agencies screen and perform background checks on their workers? Some agencies’ background checks are more thorough than others.  Ask about that agency’s employee qualifications, drug screening, criminal history check, reference check, and driving record check.

Are workers supervised? It is always recommended that you choose an agency that supervises and monitors their caregivers.  Be sure to ask what qualifications the supervisors have and what their backgrounds are.  Higher educational degrees typically means better training programs at the employee level.  This adds an even better layer of security to your choice of agency.

AAging Better In-Home Care does a complete FBI background check on all prospective employees so that we can see when and if they have a criminal record in any of the 50 states, not just Idaho.  We also check at least two work-related references and run a driver’s license check.  Our training programs are conducted by an RN with a Masters degree in nursing and we have been recognized as having one of the best trained staff in North Idaho.   To learn more about AAging Better In-Home Care’s training programs, security measures and services, contact us today at (208) 777-0308 in the Coeur d’Alene/Post Falls/Hayden areas, (208) 263-7889 in the Sandpoint/Priest River/Bonners Ferry areas, or (208) 784-1505 in the Kellogg/Pinehurst/Wallace areas.

Caregiving Stress Can Lead to Company Loss

Posted on: April 17th, 2011 by aagingbetter

Family caregivers who also work full-time jobs are constantly operating in emergency mode, something for which their minds and bodies ultimately pay a price.  Long-term exposure to stress can lead to serious health problems, as chronic stress disrupts nearly every system in the body.  It can:

  • Raise blood pressure
  • Suppress the immune system
  • Increase the risk of heart attack and stroke
  • Speed up the aging process
  • And long-term, stress can even rewire the brain, leaving employees more vulnerable to anxiety and depression

The result of long-term exposure to stress will be more absences from work and increased company healthcare benefit utilization.  If you notice symptoms of stress in an employee such as inability to concentrate, changing work habits, disorganization, bad moods and unrealistic judgments, steps can be taken to assist through a caregiving referral or respite care benefits program.

Consider the addition of eldercare services to your referral database or benefits package.  Since 1996, it has been reported that every $1 spent on eldercare programs gets a return of $3 – $5 in productivity, retention and reduced absenteeism.

A strong support network is always going to be the greatest protection against stress.  Through an eldercare program such as AAging Better In-Home Care provides, we can help alleviate some of the responsibilities and pressures of family caregiving.

Call AAging Better In-Home Care today to learn about our caregiving services and educational materials as a value-added benefit for your employees.  Contact us today at (208) 777-0308 in Coeur d’Alene and Post Falls,  (208) 263-7889 in Sandpoint or (208) 784-1505 in Kellogg or Wallace.

 

Companies Can Increase Bottom Lines with Home Care

Posted on: April 10th, 2011 by aagingbetter

Did you know that:

  • Nearly 75% of family caregivers have had to change jobs or stop working because of the demands of family caregiving?
  • Increased absenteeism and workday interruptions are reported, with an average of 166 lost hours of productivity per employee per year?
  • Employees are refusing relocation, work-related travel, overtime work or new assignments?
  • There is increased healthcare benefit utilization because often the caregivers end up more sick than the person for whom they are providing care?

In the end, lost productivity due to employees’ needs to address eldercare issues is estimated to cost U.S. businesses about $29 billion per year.  Another national study reported that companies without eldercare benefits stand to lose $2,500 a year per caregiving employee.

By partnering with an in-home care agency such as AAging Better In-Home Care for eldercare referrals, your employees can gain peace of mind that their loved ones are being well cared for while they are working.  This will increase employee job satisfaction and productivity.  However, the most valuable benefit of eldercare referrals will be your employee retention.

Call AAging Better In-Home Care today to learn about our caregiving services and educational materials as a value-added benefit for your employees.  Contact us today at (208) 777-0308 in Coeur d’Alene and Post Falls,  (208) 263-7889 in Sandpoint or (208) 784-1505 in Kellogg and Wallace.

 

When Work & Caring for Family Collide

Posted on: April 4th, 2011 by aagingbetter

Over 1 out of every 4 households is involved in caregiving for an aging or disabled family member. With the rising tide of the Boomer generation, these numbers are only expected to increase. Here are a few questions to help employers (or working family members) determine if family eldercare responsibilities are beginning to affect their business or an individual’s ability to work:

  • Are employees (or yourself) arriving to work late or having to leave early because of having to attend to family caregiving issues?
  • Are employees (or yourself) taking unpaid leaves of absence or using personal or sick days to provide care to family members?
  • Have any employees (or have you) refused relocation or work-related travel or refused new assignments stating family caregiving issues as the reason?
  • Has an employee (or have you) left your company to provide full time care for a family member?

If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, now is the best time to begin looking into working with a respected eldercare agency such as AAging Better In-Home Care.

Partnering with or retaining the services of an in-home care agency such as AAging Better for   information on eldercare-related issues can put a wedge in the revolving door of lost and unproductive personal time or employees.  With respite care (in-home care that allows the employee or yourself to leave the house while the loved one is being cared for), resource information and emotional support, employee retention and job satisfaction will increase along with the company’s bottom line.

For more information about AAging Better In-Home Care’s eldercare services, please contact us at (208) 777-0308 in the Coeur d’Alene or Post Falls areas, (208) 263-7889 in the Greater Sandpoint area or (208) 784-1505 in the Silver Valley area.

 

 
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