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Benefits and Pensions MonitorA Different Kind Of Brain Drain
With eldercare and homecare predicted to be the most significant issues that will effect both workplace productivity and personal wellbeing over the next few decades, it goes without saying that our human resources will be taxed in many areas and benefits plans put to the test more than ever before. Today, for 70 per cent of Canadians aged 30 to 60, caring for a parent is a reality as many of our elders are living approx one-third of a lifetime longer than previous generations. Yet for many individuals, the golden years will arrive like a storm with inherent disruptions to daily life and work. Research shows us that most Canadian families are, for the most part, unprepared for the eldercare challenges that lie ahead. A sudden crisis and the need for emergency planning will result in both financial and emotional costs at breakneck speed. Learning the ropes and navigating through health, rehab, and new lifestyle options will become an adult child’s new pastime and, unfortunately, their stress barometer. Stretched Thin What does it mean to benefits providers that our population is aging and our care resources are already stretched thin? As the number of Canadians reaching the age of 65 more than doubles over the next 20 years, employers can expect to be asked to deal with increased absenteeism for family reasons and higher levels of personal stress in the workplace. Employees might come to work worried about their parent’s needs, face on-the-job interruptions with calls from or about elders, need time off for caregiving, and experience the newly popular caregiver fatigue and depression.
‘Eldercare Gap’ For benefits providers, there’s a lot at stake as adult children and their parents land in what’s called the ‘eldercare gap’ – the white space where families struggle and take too much time to find what they need. In crisis, the downtime and instability are costly. In stable mode, longer term care for parents over time includes the risk of burnout, resignation, and on-thejob personal injury or accidents. As benefits providers and employers, our goal, simply put, should be to retain staff by developing policies and programs to facilitate employees’ eldercare needs. Whether it’s an open-minded approach to an afternoon off needed to take mum to the doctor, the introduction of job sharing for eldercare rather than childcare reasons, or the opportunity to take unpaid leave, there’s a role that will make a marked difference. Money spent in these areas now will, indeed, be money earned down the road. By keeping family caregivers on the job and healthy, there is a lot to gain … with heightened employee loyalty, improved retention, and a more satisfied, well work force, we can stop the brain drain. Caroline Tapp-McDougall is the publisher of Solutions: Canada’s Family Guide to Home Health Care and Wellness and the author of The Complete Canadian Eldercare Guide. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- A Word To The Wise Resources and information are pivotal in decreasing workplace risk and cost. Suggestions include: Ready, set, flex
Be open minded
Focus on wellness
Get ahead
You’re not alone
Caregiver leave
Resources are key
A proactive approach
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Plan for many older people wanting or needing to work and continuing to expect and access benefits coverage. Workplaces will be looked upon to flex to meet special needs and offer unique packages and accommodations to keep boomer-caregivers on the payroll. Valuable skill sets will be found in older workers, but how will we attract and retain them. Benefits may just be the key. 