Overview
As a global society, this is the first time we are seeing so many people who are living longer. In 2050, it is expected that there will be twice as many adults 65 and over as in 2010. The largest generation, the Baby Boomers, are considering whether to retire or remain working. Although the process of aging does not mean individuals will inevitably become disabled, as this population continues to live longer, there will be more people living with disabilities. As a result, there will be an increased need for caregivers to help those who are disabled manage their activities of daily living (ADLs).
The current workforce is aging rapidly as well. Much of the conversations in recent years have been focused on the retirement plans of Baby Boomers, who since 2011, began turning 65 years of age, which has long been considered the typical retirement age. It is estimated that 10,000 Baby Boomers are turning 65 each day, and the world is watching what this largest generation is going to do next. Global industries are watching what the Baby Boomers will be spending money on in retirement, so they can prepare to meet demand or develop products or services that boomers will desire to buy.
Although many older workers can afford to retire, many want to continue working into their 70s and even 80s if they can. They enjoy interacting with others and want to feel productive as they enter their older years. Others will not save enough money to retire and find themselves having to work longer in order to maintain or afford the costs of their desired lifestyles, which includes a normally higher cost of healthcare. This is especially true of those employees who have lost a significant portion of their savings during the last recession including the COVID pandemic...many lost all!
For many years, organizations were encouraging older workers to retire because of the high labor costs and high cost of medical premiums insurance companies assess those organizations that have a significant amount of older workers. Also, many employers perceive older employees to have lower productivity levels and an inability to learn newer technologies, therefore they prefer to hire younger employees to take their place at significant labor-cost savings and perceived increased productivity. Employers who decide to terminate older employees can offer forced or voluntary retirement packages and if employees refuse, then employers can terminate many of these employees and/or provide involuntary retirement packages which are not as lucrative as the voluntary offers (Van Solinge, & Henkens, 2007). In either case, employees may not be prepared to leave the workforce and many who are 50 years of age and older, may have a perceived difficulty finding meaningful work (Koenig, Trawinski, & Rix, 2015).
Caregiving
In 2013, about 40 million family caregivers in the United States provided an estimated 37 billion hours of care to an adult with limitations in daily activities. The estimated economic value of their unpaid contributions was approximately $470 billion in 2013, up from an estimated $450 billion in 2009.
There is another side to the issue of employing older or mature workers. Over the last several years, many employees have left the workforce or have been challenged keeping their jobs while providing significant care to family members who are disabled. This is especially true of the disabled family members who are suffering from forms of dementia and their children are frequently enlisted to provide care. Although symptoms of dementia can differ significantly from one person to another, many times the progression of the disease is slow, and decisions to commit family members to institutions are difficult to make. This becomes more difficult when disabled family members have moments of seeming coherent and appear to behave normally. It is also difficult for children to justify in their minds about sending their parent(s) away from their homes.
Although the stress caregivers suffer from is usually because of the physical care they provide and the emotional impact of having to balance caregiving with work and other activities, it is usually somewhat alleviated when institutionalizing a parent. However, the guilt of placing family members in a “home” can be extremely overwhelming. These decisions are made somewhat easier when the burden on the caregiver is too severe emotionally, physically, and/or financially. Many times, it is usually when the parent’s behavior becomes aggressive or the parent is considered to be a risk to themselves or harmful to others that the decision to institutionalize is made somewhat easier.
In any case, the many caregivers are currently employed and frequently find themselves taking an exorbitant amount of time off from work to care for their family members. This can impact the productivity of the employee and signal to the employer that this “issue” may continue for quite some time. If the employees are older (over 50), there can be an incentive to encourage early retirement or begin termination processes. The negative impact on the employees can be drastic as many may not be able to afford retirement, and taking a leave of absence does not typically involve continued paychecks, given that the US continues to be the only developed country with no guaranteed paid family leave.
Caregiving by family members is a global issue and many countries have already begun to address such issues. Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom, for example, have created “dementia-friendly” communities. Many organizations have entered into partnerships with various Alzheimer’s/dementia agencies and are designated as dementia-friendly workplaces. Here employers educate and support affected employees who are not just caregivers but may be afflicted themselves.
Providing the aging population continued opportunities for employment, as well as understanding the value these employees bring to an organization and society, is very important. Understanding and addressing the challenges the mature worker faces in the workplace is one indicator of how society values the elderly.
Dementia
Early-onset dementia which affects people who are sixty-five or younger is expected to grow as the number of aging Baby Boomers increases. In 2015, approximately 200,000 individuals lived with Early Onset in the United States and many were between the ages of 30-40. Interestingly, people who are in their 20s, 30s, and 40s are not frequently thought to have dementia by healthcare workers. Even when presenting symptoms, dementia is not expected and therefore a misdiagnosis of behavioral issues such as depression or stress is usually identified instead.
The demand for services to care for people with dementia will increase as well. Caring for someone with Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) for example can be one of the most difficult of caregiving that is provided. Patients diagnosed with late-stage AD may need help with getting dressed, bathing, grooming, eating, reminders to use the bathroom, etc. Changes in personality, demeanor, and overall health can be especially taxing on the caregiver particularly if the caregiver does not have the appropriate knowledge and skills to manage these physical and emotional issues. Societies that are not ready to address these challenges will struggle to provide appropriate care for their citizens and will subsequently be impacted by a stressed healthcare system. Employers who do not address these issues with their employees, who are or may become caregivers, will suffer losses of productivity and the impact to caregiving employees will affect their health and well-being in the workplace and beyond.
Impact on Employees
Many employees who are charged with carrying for family members have resigned from their jobs, requested reduced working hours and additional time off. Caregiving employees may request time off to care for a disabled or sick family member. If organizations value the employee, they may look to re-structuring job tasks and implementing workplace accommodations to help employees better manage the work environment and a work/life balance in such cases. Unfortunately, reduction of hours and work reassignments may come at a price of reduced income.
Fortunately, federal, state, and local officials are now recognizing the importance and pervasiveness of family caregiving. Recently, congressional and federal committees, the Institute of Medicine, the Department of Labor, and federal programs such as Medicare and Medicaid have begun initiatives to recognize the role of the caregiver, provide relief and help disabled people live more independently. Federally funded programs are tasked with providing training to family caregivers as well as healthcare workers to support the needs of older and disabled adults.
Human Resources
It is important for employees to take advantage of various benefit packages available through their employers. Benefits such as flexible work hours, working remotely, paid time-off, leaves, and sabbaticals may be available as options. If caregiving burdens are severe enough where an employee cannot continue full-time, Human Resource departments can assist these employees with signing up for social security benefits, Medicare, and other privately and federally sponsored programs if the employee qualifies. Many of the resources and tools available are found by accessing information from the employer or directly from organizations such as the Social Security Administration, Alzheimer’s Association, Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA), etc.
Employees can ask about Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) as well to further help them make a well-informed decision on whether they can afford to take time off and/or adjust to changes they may have to make as caregivers. For many individuals, a job is the main source of income. Job loss means reduced earning power, loss or unaffordable medical costs, and loss or reduction of pension or retirement benefits. As a result, this can lead to financial distress for a family. Affected individuals who were the primary breadwinners may now take on the role of a caregiver and even become dependent themselves. As a result, they may experience a significant change in income and lifestyle that can impact several generations of families.
Who is Responsible?
What responsibility do employers have to those employees who are burdened with caregiving? Responsibility many times lies with the employer and employee. The greatest challenge employers will face is to find the balance between a workforce which is highly productive (in order to succeed in a globally competitive environment) and offering flexibility to employees who may not be as productive as before, but can be just as productive in certain other areas. Retaining an older workforce and redesigning the work environment may be more cost-effective than looking to replace current positions with new hires. Human resource managers have stated that older employees exhibit desirable characteristics including loyalty, work/life experience, organizational and industry knowledge, and a wealth of internal and external relationships developed over the years.
Understanding the importance of distinguishing the real from the assumed potential for occupational risk and costs is vital to developing a workforce plan that includes the various generations currently employed. A balance can be found by a multi-dimensional approach to aging supporting individual functional capacity and health…and developing the workplace community. There is also no guarantee that younger workers will stay with the same employer for any length of time. In fact, younger employees have a tendency to jump from one company to the next, more so than the older generations.
Conclusion
Keeping mature workers employed provides many benefits to the employer, employee, and society as a whole. Besides, having more institutional and industry knowledge, they have typically developed a long list of contacts and resources. Utilizing their wisdom makes older workers optimal candidates as mentors to younger employees. Also, employees who work longer can continue to provide for their families, offset the high cost of healthcare, and put aside more money for retirement. Offering flexible time off among other employment options can help the employee manage their time between caregiving for disabled family members, working, and caring for their own spouses and children.
If the cost of carrying an older worker is a concern, organizations also have some options available that can reduce costs and help the employee maintain an income and perhaps some healthcare benefits. Phased retirement or bridge-employment plans may help these employees continue to earn an income at reduced rates while working fewer hours. Both employer and employee negotiate a planned reduction in job duties and hours over a period of time, gradually easing the mature worker into retirement. Hourly reductions can offer added time to address personal issues, continue to earn a partial income, and possibly receive some if not all of the company benefits.
Offering employment contracts for a specified amount of time as an independent contractor can provide a significant income without many of the benefits that come with working full-time. In workers, sixty-five years of age or older can enroll in Medicare and supplement premiums and additional costs through drawing a decent salary. This option may be more attractive to employees whose spouses are still working and a covered by the spouse’s insurance plan.
The aging population of baby boomers is a global concern not just here in the United States. From a competitive perspective, the organizations that can leverage the value a mature worker can bring, the more competitive the organizations will be. At the same time, organizations should keep in mind that the success of any company lies in the performance of their employees. Showing appreciation for the good work accomplished can be addressed by helping those employees who are struggling with many personal and family issues. This is a critical time in many employees and their family's lives and the abandonment of these employees by organizations shows how little they value the commitment employees had to their organizations.
By finding ways to work with these employees, organizations can develop a type of culture that would foster continued productive performance and become a model for other companies to follow.
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