The burdens of caregiving are taking a toll not only on workers but also on employers through increased absenteeism, reduced work focus, emotional burnout and hidden costs.
Working caregivers experience significant rates of burnout and mental health strain caregivers. Those at higher risk for burnout report an average of 11.4 weeks of lost work productivity annually, according to the new Family Health Index from Cleo. For every 1,000 employees, this amounts to an estimated annual cost of $3.8 million in lost productivity.
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“Understanding the complex needs of those caregiving for children, adults or both simultaneously is crucial for providing them with necessary coaching and navigational support,” said Dr. Madhavi Vemireddy, CEO of the global family care platform. "The lack of resources leaves many struggling in isolation. This creates a vicious cycle — caregivers ultimately require care for themselves, and the entire family suffers as a result. With the number of older adults requiring care on the rise, the increasing burden on caregivers and the health care system is simply unsustainable."
AARP research has found that of the more than 48 million family caregivers nationwide, 6 in 10 are working while juggling caregiving responsibilities, including assisting with daily living activities, medical or nursing tasks, coordinating services, transportation, shopping and advocating for their loved ones. Most family caregivers provide at least 20 hours of care each week, equal to an unpaid part-time job, and provide more than $600 billion in unpaid care.
Sixty-four percent of the so-called sandwich generation, who are caring for children and parents, screened positive for depression and anxiety. The report revealed significantly higher levels of burnout among parents and caregivers dealing with complex care journeys, including parents of neurodivergent children (65%) and family caregivers of someone with a chronic condition (61%), cancer (55%) or navigating an end-of-life journey (57%).
As the population ages, Cleo recommends that employers and health plans begin addressing this growing portion of their constituency, whose health and wellbeing affect health care costs, including the growing demand for mental health services and increased prevalence of chronic conditions such as hypertension and heart disease.
"A population health solution personalized to families' needs is critical to address the caregiving crisis," said Dr. Iver Juster, a physician health economist. "The Family Health Index can help predict, measure and improve health, wellbeing, productivity and economic outcomes.”
AARP identified several best practices that employers can use to support caregivers:
- Offer and support flexible schedules and work locations.
- Offer employer-supported access to support groups, career coaching and financial advising resources.
- Offer paid leave specifically for caregivers and/or flexible leave that can be used to help with caregiving duties.
- Sponsor free sessions to highlight how caregiving employees can optimize employer benefits and policies.
- Ask senior leaders to share their stories of how they have used the caregiver-supportive benefits and policies.
- Train people managers on caregiver-inclusive managerial practices.
- Start or support an employee resource group for parents and caregivers.
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Alan Goforth
Alan Goforth is a freelance writer in suburban Kansas City. In addition to freelancing for several publications, he has written a dozen books about sports and other topics.
