Employer perceptions of elder care assistance programs

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 absenteeism, manage employee stress, and boost productivity. Flexible work scheduling and leave programs were considered to have the greatest benefit for employee recruitment and retention. Utilization of elder care services remains low, impeded by lack of employee awareness about the services, inability to measure their impacts, and employer concerns about program costs.