Employer Perceptions of Elder Care Assistance Programs

SUMMARY

Little research has been conducted to evaluate employer-sponsored elder care service programs. This study assesses the perspectives of senior human resource and employee benefit managers at large U.S. corporations about nine types of elder care services. Survey responses were obtained from 115 employer officials. The majority of employers reported that elder care services help decrease absenteeism, manage employee stress, and boost productivity. Flexible work scheduling and leave programs were considered to have the greatest benefit for employee recruitment and retention. Utilization of elder care services remains low, impeded by lack of employee awareness about the services, inability to measure their impacts, and employer concerns about program costs.

KEYWORDS:

• Caregiving
• elder care services
• employee benefits
• flexible work scheduling

This research was funded by a grant (#2006–062) from the Retirement Research Foundation. We appreciate the assistance in conducting this study provided by Marjorie Neidecker, Mary Lynn Bridell, Neil Vasist, and Carol Smathers.

Notes

^a Use-to-cost ratio = % employers reporting high or medium use/% of employers with high or medium cost.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Allard E. Dembe

Allard E. Dembe, ScD, is Associate Professor and Chair, College of Public Health, Division of Health Services Management & Policy, Director, Center for Health Outcomes, Policy and Evaluation Studies, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210.

Elizabeth Dugan

Elizabeth Dugan, PhD, is a Fellow at the Gerontology Institute, University of Massachusetts Boston, Boston, MA.

Phyllis Mutschler

Phyllis Mutschler, PhD, is Director, Program on Women and Aging, The Heller School for Social Policy and Management, Brandeis University, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA.

Diane Piktialis

Diane Piktialis, PhD, is Project Leader, Maturing Workforce, The Conference Board, New York, NY.