Supporting Working Caregivers through Employer Engagement

September 15, 2022

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General Session Panel at the 2022 National Lifespan Respite Conference in Madison, WI, 2022

Unprecedented numbers of family caregivers were forced to leave the labor force during the pandemic as they struggled to manage new or intensified caregiving duties, work, family responsibilities, and the resulting stress. A significant majority of family caregivers, at least 60 percent, are still in the labor force. Both scenarios demand a more responsive and supportive workplace moving forward. Not only are the health and financial well-being of these caregivers at-risk, businesses may be losing billions of dollars annually from lost productivity, replacement costs for employees who quit because of overwhelming caregiving responsibilities, absenteeism, and workday interruptions.

This panel explored strategies to support working caregivers, including statewide public/private partnerships, outreach to identify and serve working caregivers, best practices to educate and engage employers in respite care, and caregiver support and workplace flexibilities.

Facilitated by Dr. Jennifer Olsen, Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregivers

Panelists:

Greg Olsen, Acting Director, New York State Office for the Aging, PPT Slides

Lynn Gall, Family Caregiver Support Programs Manager, Bureau of Aging and Disability Resources, Wisconsin Department of Health Services, PPT Slides

Irina Vyazunova, PhD, Senior Research Scientist, R & D Promega Corporation, PPT Slides

Diana Clark, Benefits Manager – Human Resources, Promega Corporation, Madison, WI

Kim Falk, Respite Employer Engagement Coordinator, Munroe-Meyer Institute, University of Nebraska Medical Center, PPT Slides

 

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