February 2008

Corporate Eldercare Programs: Their Impact, Effectiveness, & the Implications for Employers

The National Alliance for Caregiving and Center for Productive Aging at Towson University conducted the study. The researchers conducted an on-line survey of all employees (7,622) of a large healthcare company. The survey asked about the employees caregiving responsibilities, use of caregiving programs available to them, and the effects of caregiving on their job performance and personal wellbeing. Of the 7,622 individuals surveyed, 1,786 responded, of which 36% report currently caring for an older loved one. Participants were mostly female (84%) and have been taking care of someone for an average of 4.9 years at the time of the survey. Telephone interviews were then conducted with three groups of caregivers (totaling 144 employees): non-users of eldercare programs, users of a resource and referral program, and users of a geriatric care management (GCM) program. Approximately half of those employees completed a six-month follow up Internet survey.

Users of GCM programs were less likely to report negative caregiving impacts on their work performance than resource and referral users and individuals who do not use any support programs. GCM users are more likely to report "excellent" health and are less likely to experience a change in their health during caregiving.