Caring for an aging loved one can be a stressful, difficult job and can also be very time consuming. This is why there are so many other options for senior care outside of the immediate family. Unfortunately, these options can also be somewhat complicated and confusing. Fortunately, many employers are now offering employee assistance programs that can help you navigate these senior care options much easier.
Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs)
An Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is a confidential workplace service that employers pay for. An EAP helps employees deal with work-life stressors, family issues, financial concerns, relationship problems, and even drug or legal concerns. It is often available to both employees and their families to help workers remain productive at work.
How EAPs Work
An EAP provides outside counselors, resources, and referrals to assist employees and their family members. Any employee assistance benefits received by employees or family members remain strictly confidential. So, while your employer pays for the service, they have no idea what, if any, service an employee is using. Typically, what happens when you offer an EAP is that employees call a phone number to get immediate help from a professional counselor on such topics as:
- Workplace Conflicts: Advice and suggestions on how to work with a difficult manager or co-workers.
- Substance Abuse Problems: Advice on how to deal with the employee’s addiction, or how to deal with a family member’s addiction, including teen drug use prevention.
- Mental Health Issues: Depression, anxiety, anger management or other needs an employee or their family members may be dealing with.
- Personal Health Issues: How best to manage return to work issues after a worker’s comp claim, or how to manage a disability or medical issue at work.
- Senior Care or Caregiving Issues: How to obtain help for an ill or elderly loved one.
- Family Legal Advice: Marriage counseling, divorce, or child custody issues.
- Financial Counseling: How to avoid bankruptcy, or how to pay down credit card debt, or create a budget.
- Grief Assistance: Support for employees who have lost a loved one as well as for employees experiencing the loss of a co-worker, or a significant event such as a shooting at work.
Senior Care
As noted above, access to professionals that can help you navigate the various senior care options available to your aging loved one is typically a service provided in most employee assistance programs. Though what exactly is offered in that particular industry can vary by program and location, so be sure to talk with your company’s Human Resource professional to get the most up to date information on the details of your company’s specific program.
At Sholom, we offer a full continuum of senior care services at two convenient Twin Cities locations as well as providing home care and hospice care to individuals wherever they call home. If you would like to learn more about any of our services, please contact us today.
