DALLAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--A newly released white paper, “Taking Care of Caregivers: Why corporate America should support employees who give their hearts and souls to those in need,” examines the unique set of challenges caregiving poses for employees and employers alike. The white paper highlights some of the remarkable programs and policies companies have created in response to these challenges, and provides proven strategies and tactics for employees who are serving as caregivers. Authored by Michael Walsh, CEO, Cariloop, Renee Albert, director of Benefits, Facebook, and Mark Victor Hansen, co-creator of the Chicken Soup for the Soul series, this roadmap empowers companies of every size and scope with creative ideas and recommendations for introducing caregiver support.
Sharing Facebook’s strategies for effectively addressing the needs of working caregivers, Albert affirms that caregiver support is part of their corporate DNA, saying, “Facebook has made taking care of our employees – and the people who matter most to them – a top priority. We aspire to be the best company for families, no matter how you define family.”
Responding to the question, “Who is going to become a caregiver?” Albert agrees that the answer is simple: You.
“Caregiving touches virtually every one of us at some point in our lives, from childbirth to eldercare,” she continues. “Fortunately, more employers are heeding the call to play a role in helping make life easier for their working caregivers.”
U.S. companies that fail to address their employee caregivers’ needs and issues pay the price: businesses lose between $17.1 billion and $33.6 billion annually on lost productivity, depending on the level of caregiving involved.
Walsh explains, “There is an incredible amount of stress on our nation’s caregivers to navigate the complex world of healthcare for a loved one and still remain focused and productive at work. For many, caregiving is comparable to holding down a second job, and the lines between their work and personal lives become blurry, at best, when the care of a loved one is top-of-mind. For employers, caregiver support is not simply a good business decision, it’s the right thing to do.”
Readers will discover new ways to support caregivers that are not simply focused on increased spending to offer more benefits. By incorporating community resources and taking advantage of emerging business platforms with innovative programs, leaders can more effectively create a cultural shift that celebrates and supports the lives of its employees -- especially those who sacrifice so much to care for the ones they love.
“Employee caregivers need time to care for a loved one without jeopardizing their good standing at work,” says Walsh, who co-founded Cariloop to offer a Caregiver Support Platform that pairs families with a dedicated health care professional who walks with them throughout the entire caregiving process. “The success of purpose-driven solutions offered by leading companies demonstrates that progress is possible – and that there are effective, affordable and proven models that offer options for families, businesses and economies.”
Hansen’s Chicken Soup for the Caregiver’s Soul, published in 2004, served as one of the first resources to describe the challenges facing working caregivers.
“Peoples’ lives are literally upended when they encounter caregiving responsibilities, and the impact on their work performance is palpable,” says the prolific, award-winning author. “Since the burdens of caregiving will impact every American at some point, it’s in the best interest of employers to offer meaningful solutions.”
About Cariloop
Dallas-based Cariloop provides the world's first fully-integrated, human-powered Caregiver Support Platform to help working caregivers and families plan for and manage the care of their parents, grandparents, spouses, siblings, in-laws, and adult children. The Platform features a HIPAA-compliant, cloud-based application that helps families securely communicate across all devices and store important health, financial, and legal documents while having on-demand access to a dedicated Healthcare Coach who guides the families through the many decisions they make over the length of their caregiving journey. For more information, visit www.cariloop.com or follow Cariloop on LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook.
