BOSTON--Employers have a lot of challenges, but there's one they generally don't give enough attention to: caregivers in the workplace.

There are more than 65 million informal and family caregivers in the United States, most of whom are women. And, roughly one in seven middle-aged adults are providing financial support to both an aging parent and a child, according to data from the Pew Research Center.

And that's creating significant challenges in the workplace, panelists said during a session Wednesday at the National Business Group on Health's conference on Health, Productivity and Human Capital.

"There is quite a mix of those who end in caregiving situations, and it's not easy," said Cindy Conway, group director global benefits for Cadence Design Systems, a Silicon Valley-based software company with more than 5,000 employees. "In each of our companies we have caregivers who are thrusted in this role and who need our help."

The emotional and financial stress associated with caregiving creates serious impacts on productivity and absenteeism, and also drives higher medical claims.

The statistics mean that it's time for employers to take action.

"It's a business necessity," Conway said. "Our business is focused on people; we need them to be focused on their job every day. So we need to give them the resources they need every day."

Conway and Susan Pergament, senior director of benefits at Ann Inc. discussed ideas on how to help caregivers in the office. Among them:

  • Regularly communicate with employees on these types of challenges and tell them how you can help.

  • Offer care programs for employees so they have back up care available for them.

  • Have various speakers, including HR and carrier reps, to discuss caregiving options and benefits.

  • Host webinars and presentations about caregiving topics, and allow participation in anonymity. "We record the webinars so people can see them later as employees who are caregivers may be slow to come forward to help," Conway said.

  • Offer end of life planning, and have an EAP counselor and a financial planner attend.

  • Offer hospice care and accelerated death benefit. "Find a way to communicate and keep top of mind these benefits employees need to have," Conway said.

  • Offer long-term care insurance.

  • Offer legal coverage benefits as a way to help with the legal issues associated with caring for a family member (i.e., looking over a nursing home contract).

  • Look into free community resources, including from the Social Security Department, to help employees.

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