Here are 12 ways employers can use an LSA to greatly expand the types of care employees can offer to their loved ones.

Provide a network of support for caregivers: Offer counseling and support for employees facing challenges such as shifting relationships, navigating life transitions, and addressing behavioral needs. Community-focused Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) and support from colleagues who have navigated elder care responsibilities can create a support network for caregivers.
Connect employees with daily care programs. Care for loved ones during the work day is top of mind for any employee who has caregiving responsibilities. Not only would employees appreciate funds to help care for parents, children, and pets during the workday, but being connected with a trusted network to find adult daytime care, childcare, or doggie daycare would be a plus.
Support in-home caregiving. Some people and pets prefer to be at home. Caregiver assistance benefits include subsidies for in-home care costs, whether nursing care, a nanny, or a dog sitter. Employers should consider directly contributing to employees' caregiver assistance accounts to help cover in-home care expenses.
Subsidize accessible transportation. Transportation subsidies for loved ones of employees who cannot drive or have disabilities or mobility challenges can support independence and make medical appointments and social outings more accessible.
Prioritize healthy food. Offering funds for meal deliveries, a local Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) membership, or meal kits promotes total wellbeing and makes it easier for caregivers to provide nutritious meals for themselves and those they care for.
Embrace respite care. Respite care gives caregivers much-needed relief from their caregiving responsibilities. Providing this support and destigmatizing the need for respite can help caregivers manage their work-life balance and reduce burnout.
Plan for last-minute care. It happens: A child's daycare is closed for the week, or a professional caregiver is temporarily unavailable, or a dog walker cancels their availability. When you offer a safety net and funding to address any kind of last-minute caregiving need reduces employee stress and absenteeism.
Empower school choice and educational support. Many families would make different choices for a child's educational needs if they had additional financial means, including homeschooling. Just as work-from-home has become routine, so has school-from-home. Offering your employees reimbursable resources such as tuition support, textbooks, tutoring, or teaching supplies empowers them to choose the best learning environment for each child's unique needs.
Supplement activities and lessons. The school day is famously out of alignment with the typical business day. As a result, children often fail to get all of their educational, physical, and social-emotional needs met by in-school activities. Funding for extracurricular activities, clubs, lessons, and summer camp can fill the timing gaps between school and work days. It can also supplement holistic learning and meaningful connections for children, giving their parents peace of mind.
Support family expansion (fertility and adoption). Employers can support their employees by offering financial assistance and time off to help them expand their families however they see fit. Possibilities include funds to offset the costs of responsible pet adoption; fertility and reproductive health support; gender-affirming care; and child adoption. Time off can help employees welcome new members to their homes.
Provide financial advising services. Employer-sponsored financial advising services can assist employees in better caring for their parents, children, and pets by providing comprehensive financial guidance and support. You can support employers to help employees manage the financial aspects of caregiving, including long-term planning for care, navigating Medicaid or Medicare and other government assistance programs, budgeting for care expenses, saving for college, or planning for retirement.
Fund pet insurance, training, and wellness programs. Great insurance and employee wellness programs are core to thriving companies. Now, compassionate employers subsidize preventive pet care, such as vaccinations, annual check-ups, dental cleanings, and grooming. These employers also understand the importance of training for the safety and wellbeing of pets and add pet care to the total wellness package for their people.

Instant Insights /

12 ways to help employers provide support for any employee's stage of life

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