Elder Care, Child Care, Should Employers Care?

My brother and I are navigating elder care for my dad. We suspect dementia but are waiting for an evaluation and diagnosis from a doctor (who knew neurologists are so in-demand??). In the interim, I'm getting referrals to find in-home care for a few days a week (shoutout to my mom's line sisters of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc...y'all the real MVPs and NEVER fail to take care of #Judiskids).

Roles have reversed - our strong, proud, independent dad who took care of us, now needs to be taken care of (don't tell him I said that...he's still proud). It's a lot to navigate what he needs, who can provide it, what's it going to cost, etc. All while trying to honor our father and maintain his dignity.

Hunter, G. 2024

My brother is with daddy as the primary caregiver and so Jason takes the brunt of the holy burden of care. I say holy because it's love. While daddy may get on Jason's last nerve, Jason loves him and wants the best for him. Just like God wants the best for us. I live several states away and try to support with taking care of finances, setting up appointments and helping however I can.

As the primary caregiver, Jason has to take off work frequently. Thankfully, Jason has a strong work ethic and has built up a good reputation so his employer is flexible when something comes up. But, it does wear him out. And let's not mention his ENERGETIC 4-year old daughter. He jokingly remarked he feels like he has 2 toddlers - Ava and daddy.

Hunter, G. 2023

While these challenges are personal in nature, they often have an impact on the workplace environment. As many of us juggle the responsibilities of parenthood along with caring for aging parents, issues such as burnout, frequent absences, tardiness, early departures, and managing personal matters during work hours can create challenges for both employees and employers. Therefore, it raises the question of whether employers have a responsibility to offer supportive options in such situations.

I recently read two articles in the same day advocating for employers to enhance their benefit offerings for those navigating child and elder care. Employees are getting squeezed and employers are getting pressured to respond.

Question: Do employers need to take proactive measurers in addressing these needs?

Let's first look at what a mutual solution could look like:

Employer Benefit Options

Flexible work arrangement - non-traditional work hours or remote work

Additional paid time off

Access to mental health providers

Access to childcare or elder care providers

Employee Response/Obligations

There are pros and cons to offering additional benefits and a few are listed in the below chart.

Should employers provide more child and elder care benefits?

Pros	Cons
Attractive recruitment tool	Added cost (may be prohibitive for small businesses)
Strong retention tool	System, policy and process needed to administer benefits equitably
Engaged workforce leading to increased productivity potential	Disengagement from employees who may not need benefits (especially if benefit includes additional time off)

These are real and present challenges for many. It's not new and it's not going away. Resolving them is similar to managing any relationship - necessitating compromise and cooperation from all parties involved. Particularly for small businesses, I recommend the initial action of recognizing the obstacles faced by your team members, especially if you hold a leadership position. Engage in discussions to understand their requirements and how you can offer assistance. Oftentimes, by openly expressing my concerns, I discover others who are experiencing similar issues. This leads to productive dialogues and resource sharing. The act of openly communicating our needs holds significant power.

What would you add? What are your thoughts about providing more options?