By
Ken Stavas
Owner, Home Instead Senior Care
Besides being business owners,
employers, and members of the Cobb Chamber of Commerce, there is
something else that we share. Dealing with the cost of providing
care to our loved ones over age 65 can be a daunting task.
According
to the U.S. Census Bureau, an estimated 36.8 million people - 12.4
percent are age 65 and older. Furthermore, the U.S. population age
65 and older is expected to double in size within the next 25
years. By 2030, almost 1 in 5 Americans - some 72 million people -
will be 65 or older. The 85 and over population is projected to
double from 4.7 million in 2003 to 9.6 million in 2030 - and double
again to 20.9 million in 2050. About 80 percent of seniors have at
least one chronic health condition and 50 percent have at least two.
The
effect of providing care to someone over the age of 65 has significant
effects on employers. The vast majority of family caregivers (79
percent) are providing care to someone over the age of 65. And
nearly 60 percent of those caring for a senior adult are employed - most
of them full-time. The estimated price tag for employers with
full-time employees who are caregivers of seniors amounts to $33.6
billion - a total that includes absenteeism; replacement of employees;
elder-care crises; unpaid leave; workday interruptions (including
inattentiveness to work - sometimes referred to as "presenteeism")
and employees switching from full-time to part-time job status.
These
issues are prompting employers to search for solutions to those
care-giving challenges that make it difficult for employees to keep up
with their work responsibilities. According to the Society for
Human Resource Management (SHRM), about 26 percent of U.S. companies
currently offer some elder-care benefits - a figure that has been
steadily increasing in recent years.
And
it's likely that workers will welcome this new employer-provided
assistance enthusiastically. For instance, a recent report
entitled the Evercare Study of Caregivers in Decline indicated that 51
percent of participants in this study - all of whom were family
caregivers - believed they would benefit from guidance on identifying
and arranging support or respite services.
Varying
from night fright, diet, health, physical inactivity, stress, oral
hygiene, loneliness, depression and safety, issues faced by our aging
population and their care givers are vast. Various resources are
available and should be carefully reviewed when facing concerns
regarding senior care.
The
Reality of Senior Care
Understanding
the effects of aging on health, family dynamics, and a good life are
imperative. Knowledge about the senior care issues you and your
family may face is important and should be addressed in a candid
manner. Being informed, ready to address situations as they occur,
and having the ability to ask for help when needed can make the
difference between counting the years, and living them.
Sources:
U.S.Census
Bureau
www.homeinstead.com
www.metlife.com
www.shrm.org
www.evercarehealthplans.com
If you are interested in reviewing the complete Aging in Place America,
visit www.myhearinghealth.com/archive/2007/10/25/99.aspx
