Employer Perceptions of Elder Care Assistance Programs

Abstract

Little research has been conducted to evaluate employer-sponsored elder care service programs. This study assesses the perspectives of senior human resource and employee benefit managers at large U.S. corporations about nine types of elder care services. Survey responses were obtained from 115 employer officials. The majority of employers reported that elder care services help decrease Allard E. Dembe, ScD, is Associate Professor and Chair

Employers' Knowledge and Attitudes Regarding Organizational Policy Toward Workers Caring for Aging Family Members

“…A study conducted in England found that only a small number of workers caring for aging family members were aware of their rights or utilized them on a regular basis (Phillips, Bernard, & Chittenden, 2002). Similar data were presented in a recent U.S. study that found that only 16.7% of employees reported high usage of any service other than flextime and leave programs (Dembe et al, 2008).…”

“…The more expensive the types of assistance (e.g., paid leave, subsidized care), the less feasible they were perceived to be. In a recent U.S. study about employers' perceptions of eldercare assistance programs, it was also revealed that the high cost of certain programs was among the factors that impeded their adoption (Dembe, Dugan, Mutschler, & Piktialis, 2008).…”

Associations of eldercare and competing demands with health and work outcomes among manufacturing workers

“…Although examined as a demand in this study, eldercare can be a meaningful and rewarding part of family life (Louderback, 2000). Providing eldercare offers psychological benefits, including enhanced relationships and a sense of accomplishment (Brown & Pitt-Catsouphes, 2015;Dembe, Dugan, Mutschler, & Piktialis, 2008;Scharlach, 1994). Also, studies of work-family enrichment indicate that the work and family spheres can enhance one another (Carlson, Kacmar, Wayne, & Grzywacz, 2006), especially if employees have built a 'bank of trust' with managers and co-workers (Bernard & Phillips, 2007).…”

The sandwich generation: individual, family, organizational and societal challenges and opportunities

“…Buffardi et al (1999), based on a sample of 18 120 US federal employees in dual-income households, reported that eldercare responsibilities were correlated with lower levels of satisfaction with perceived organizational support, pay, leave benefits, and work-family balance, while the negative effects of childcare were only related to leave benefits and work-family balance. Dembe et al (2008) collected data from 115 senior level human resource and employee benefits managers at large US organizations about nine types of eldercare services. Respondents indicated that eldercare services worked to lessen absenteeism, reduce employee stress and increase productivity.…”

“…Eldercare assistance is sometimes provided at work. Dembe et al (2008) listed nine formal eldercare services provided by some organizations in the US: counseling, resources and referral services, eldercare management services, dependent care flexibility spending accounts, dependent care reimbursement programs, long-term care insurance for elderly dependents, flexible work schedules and leave programs, emergency short-term eldercare, and on-site adult daycare. Zuba and Schneider (2013), using a large sample of European employed women and men, studied the influence of organizational characteristics in balancing work and eldercare responsibilities.…”