Eldercare: Greying in the Workplace and at Home
Aging belongs to us all. As a society we are growing older and life expectancy in Canada is increasing. Elder care is replacing childcare as a paramount concern for workplaces. Today, 46% of employees have some level of eldercare responsibilities affecting their job. They are often at the height of their careers and have to juggle conflicting work and family demands.
All of this is occurring with a healthcare system that has unloaded many responsibilities onto the public. Almost 40% of all informal primary caregivers are employed. One 1999 Canadian report noted that many caregivers typically end up spending an average of 40 hours a week looking after their loved ones. The end result is often stressed out employees with lower productivity, increased absenteeism, lower retention and almost 3 times the prevalence rate for depression.
You Will Learn:
- Critical information about future trends in the aging population
- What happens to us as we age physically and psychologically
- The value of planning with your own parents for their old age
- Being proactive with respect to your own aging
- Impact of aging on older workers
- Special needs of workers providing eldercare
- Identifying and responding to caregiver stress
- When and how to access eldercare resources
Content:
Aging and Society
- Brief overview of Canada's aging population
- CPP and financial security
- Ageism and myths about Seniors
Aging and the Workplace
- Trend of older workers re-entering the workforce
- Important contribution that older workers make
- Retaining and supporting older workers
Aging and You
- What 'Role Overload' is and why it is so stressful for employed Caregivers
- Physical and Psychological impact of aging
- How to talk to your loved one about 'next steps' in accepting assistance, making a 'living will' and 'powers of attorney'
- Taking care of ourselves as caregivers and employees – 'Stress Busters' tips
- Resources available to seniors in the community and how to access them?
Who Should Attend:
- Persons with aging parents
- Anybody who plans to grow old
- Human resource specialists
- Union stewards and officials