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July 8, 2024 2024 SeniorSmart

AARP Maine

AARP offers resources to employers to enhance support for employee caregivers

It’s not surprising that three out of four workers in the United States are also caregivers.

According to the latest U.S. Workforce Report conducted by AARP and S&P Global, nearly 70% of family caregivers report difficulty balancing career and caregiving responsibilities.

Maine is home to 166,000 family caregivers, many of whom are working full- or part-time. Members of the Maine business community could benefit from acknowledging employees who face the challenges of juggling their jobs along with caregiving concerns.

To recruit and retain talented employees, employers will benefit from addressing the reality that many of their employees carry this extra responsibility. Fortunately, employers have an opportunity to proactively address such circumstances in ways that benefit both their employees and their bottom lines. Implementing policies and programs that support caregiving employees can enhance workplace loyalty, allow for recruitment and retention of talent, boost productivity and bolster financial security.

By working together, businesses and employees of all ages can more effectively create a caregiver-friendly environment. Since the recent pandemic, many employers have been experimenting with innovative models that help to recruit and retain employees. For example, certain employers offer flexible work hours on days when a caregiver needs to take a loved one to a medical appointment. Today, some companies even allow paid leave, particularly for those employees caring for loved ones with high care needs due to dementia or serious illness. AARP Maine strongly supported 2023 legislation to establish Paid Family and Medical Leave in Maine which will be of great benefit to working caregivers and their families across the state.

A helpful resource for Maine caregivers is the AARP Family Caregiver Resource Guide. Offering contact information for state-specific resources, this guide can help Maine caregivers get the type of assistance they need in their own community. The guide can also serve as an opportunity for employers to learn more about available programs that could benefit their employees.

Send an email to me@aarp.org for a free copy of this guide, available in hard copy or PDF format. AARP offers a myriad of other helpful guides, tools and resources designed especially for employers at www.aarp.org/work/caregiving-resources.

Together, these tools can help you and your team through every stage of caregiving, starting with the initial conversation about the best way forward for them, and for you.

We know that by sharing resources in our own communities, and enhancing workplace flexibility, we can make a difference for Maine business leaders and for family caregivers across the state. We hope you will reach out to us at AARP Maine if you have any questions about the resources we have for you.

— Noël Bonam, AARP Maine State Director