Blackout in America s3

Lifecare Family Services: An Elder Day Care for Organizations Storyline by XXXXAlexander 2

Introduction

Our population is aging at an exponential rate. Demographics estimate that about 38 million Americans (or 11% of the total U.S. Population) are age 65 or older. In 20 years, however, there will be 53 million Americans age 65 and older, representing 13% of the population (Burns, 1999). More and more employees are finding themselves in the “sandwich generation” meaning that they are caring for their own parents while also raising their children. For this reason, organizations need to pay special attention to the needs of these workers. Work life benefits, including elder care, have become such a powerful recruiting tool that any company that has such a program is going to say so on its web site (Fisher, 2000).

The Concept

This proposal suggests that to remain competitive, companies must have facilities located at the corporate office that can provide care for elderly parents and elders in their care. This facility should have a name that suggests well being, creativity, and nurturing. It should not be named anything that the elderly person will find humiliating or shameful. For this reason, I believe that the term adult day care will not be suitable and I am suggesting the name Lifecare Family Services.

Lifecare Family Services will be a chain of elder care services that will be located at the work site. This location will enable employees to be able to bring their parents or elders with them to work. Employees will not have to worry that their parents are sitting at home in isolation and possible discomfort. Lifecare family services will provide a warm, friendly environment with professional health care providers. The benefits of each Family Lifecare Facility will include:

 Professional healthcare givers capable of providing care, comfort, medical attention, and counseling for customers (elders).

 Activities director and committee - Will design Age specific Activities (i.e. Games, Field Trips, movies, volunteer projects, rest times for employees).

 Dietary manager - lunch and refreshments will be provided. The meals will be delicious as well as nutritious. The employee can join their parents for lunch if they so desire.

 Computer Lab - Each customer will have the opportunity to have an email address and use the computer, printers, and other equipment for whatever they desire.

 Private rest areas - Each customer will have a quiet area that they can rest in private.

 Family Lifecare services can host customers anywhere from 1 to 5 times a week depending on the family’s needs.

2 What is the Trend?

Many companies now have an eldercare program in place. A recent survey from global consultants Hewitt Associates says that 40% of all US companies now offer elder-care assistance, double the number that did so five years ago (Fisher, 2000). However, most of these programs are simply a referral and resource center giving information on such programs as meals-on-wheels and assisted living. The Family Lifecare service will be a full service care facility for older adults and will be convenient for employees of the company.

Organizations today are more and more concerned about their turnover rate. In one industry, providers routinely experience a 50 – 75% turnover rate (ALFA, 2001). It is for this reason that companies need to become more aggressive in order to retain good employees. One way to do this would be to offer programs on such issues as aging and caregiving. One company, Fannie Mae has hired a full time elder-care consultant to help employees navigate the maze of medicare (N.E.,2001). Family Lifecare Services would go one step further by offering a facility for the aging parent or individual.

References

Assisted living Industry Update (ALIU), Jan. 9, 2000 Assisted Living Federation of America.

Burns, Joseph (1999) Elder care spreads to the “sandwich generation”, Managed Healthcare, July, vol. 9, Issue 7, Cleveland, OH.

N.E. (2001) Extreme Perks: Gray Panthers: Peoplepalooza, Fast Company, January, Pg. 98.

Fisher, Anne (2000) Finding a Job that Lets You care for An Aging Parent, Fortune, February 21, 2000, New York.