Managing Work and Care: Essentials for the Employed Caregiver

Research has identified and confirmed the not-so-hidden costs of family caregiving to employers in terms of employee healthcare. According to The MetLife Study of Working Caregivers and Employer Health Care Costs, a conservative estimate is that the cost of healthcare for caregivers in the workplace is approximately 8% higher than for non-caregivers in the workplace, costing U.S. employers as much as an additional $13.4 billion per year. The facts that caregivers appear to be at higher risk than the general working population for stress-related illnesses, they have a tendency to neglect their own routine preventive care, and they also appear to be more susceptible to high risk behaviors are cited as some of the potential contributing factors to these increased healthcare costs.

In addition, The MetLife Caregiving Cost Study: Productivity Losses to U.S. Business has shown that productivity is diminished among working caregivers as compared with that of non-caregivers in the workforce. It is estimated that employers lose somewhere between $17.1 and $33.6 billion annually due to caregiver absenteeism, interrupted workdays, and related issues.

In light of these significant findings, CICOA Aging and In-Home Solutions brings Managing Work and Care: Essentials for the Employed Caregiver to your workplace. At no cost whatever to you or your employees, CICOA will deliver support to your caregivers in a format of several lunch-time sessions tailored to empower them with practical tips, encouragement, and essential resource information—all of which can have invaluable, lasting application for managing the demands of work and caregiving.

Contact Kate Kunk, RN, Caregiver Options Counselor, at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or (317) 803-6002 for further information.

Managing Home and Care: Essentials for the Family Caregiver

Research has shown that caregivers who are taking care of an elderly or disabled family member—whether the loved one is living at home or is in long-term care, and whether the caregiver is within close proximity or is attempting to provide care from a long distance—are often faced with a multitude of practical issues, tasks, decisions, and feelings that at times can become overwhelming. Research also suggests that, compared with the general population, caregivers appear to be 1) at higher risk for stress-induced illnesses; 2) more likely to neglect their own health issues and the opportunity for preventive care for themselves; and 3) more likely to engage in unhealthy lifestyle behaviors. In spite of their circumstances, sadly, caregivers are often reluctant to reach out for help that is needed, or they are unaware of anyone to whom they can turn.

We at CICOA Aging and In-Home Solutions, your local Area Agency on Aging, are extremely concerned with the implications of the research data pertaining to family caregivers and want very much to improve the lives of caregivers in your organization. Our new Essentials for the Family Caregiver program is written to provide support, practical tips, and essential information concerning resources in a series of sessions that can greatly improve a caregiver’s ability to manage the multitude of stresses associated with his or her caregiving. At no cost whatever to your organization or its members, this program can have invaluable, lasting application and it stands to make a critical contribution—not only to the long-term health and quality of life of your constituent family caregivers but ultimately to the quality of care these people are able to deliver to their respective care recipients.

Given that there are currently over 65 million people in the United States who are providing care for a loved one, it’s quite possible that some of them are within your own reach and ability to help. Contact Kate Kunk, RN at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or (317) 803-6002 for more information.