The sandwich generation copes with elder care

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Sociology
• Human Resources Management

Background:

• The "sandwich generation" describes individuals simultaneously caring for children and aging parents.
• This demographic is growing, presenting increasing challenges for the workforce.
• Balancing caregiving responsibilities can lead to employee stress and reduced workplace productivity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the impact of the sandwich generation on employee productivity.
• To explore employer-sponsored elder-care services as a potential solution.
• To provide examples of companies implementing elder-care benefits.

Main Methods:

• Literature review on the sandwich generation and workplace productivity.
• Analysis of the costs associated with employee caregiving.
• Case study examples of corporate elder-care programs.

Main Results:

• Simultaneous caregiving responsibilities negatively affect employee productivity and increase employer costs.
• Implementing elder-care services can mitigate these negative impacts.
• Proactive employer support demonstrates a positive return on investment.

Conclusions:

• Employers can enhance productivity and reduce costs by offering elder-care benefits.
• Supporting the sandwich generation is crucial for a sustainable and productive workforce.
• Targeted elder-care services are a valuable investment for businesses.