family caregivers: February 2010 Archives

Today, The Washington Post and Kaiser Health News jointly published an article I wrote on aging in place villages--an important element in the effort to help seniors remain in their communities. 

There are close to 50 villages now operating around the country, and at least 600 communities interested enough to send representatives to workshops held over the past year by the non-profit community development group NCB Capital Impact.

Villages come in many shapes and sizes, but there are three basic models. One, pioneered by the Community Without Walls in Princeton, N.J. is an all-volunteer group, with modest dues (just $30 for a couple). Beacon Hill Village in Boston relies on a professional staff, provides concierge services to link members with vendors (for services from home health aides to plumbers), and charges substantial dues. The third model, created by the Maryland non-profit Partners In Care, is based on the concept of time-banking. In this design, members  receive credits for their volunteer time which they, in turn, can exchange for the help of other volunteers. 

Different models may work in different communities. But the key to the success of the village movement will come from their bottom-up, community-based nature: Local people pulling together to help one another as they age. It is a powerful concept with a promising future--both for elders and for adult children caring for our parents.       

Those of us who have been caring for our parents know very well the physical toll it takes. I helped care for my dad for 18 months. And after he died, one of the first things I did was make an appointment to see my own doctor. I had never felt so exhausted and worn out in my life.

Now, an important new study describes the health effects of caregiving on workers. And the picture is not pretty. Women caregivers over 50 are twice as likely to report fair or poor health than those not caring for elderly relatives. Men are more likely to smoke. Blue-collar workers are more likely to drink. And caregivers across the board report higher rates of depresssion, diabetes, hypertension, and pulmonary disease.

Overall, the study estimates these workers cost their employers an average of 8 percent more in health care costs, or $13 billion annually. And that's on top of an earlier study that suggests absent or distracted caregivers cost their companies between $17 billion and $33 billion in lost productivity. The toll on these adult children and their employers is enormous.

The new report, called "The MetLife Study of Working Caregivers and Employer Health Care Costs" is a joint project of the MetLife Mature Market Institute, the National Alliance for Caregiving and the University of Pittsburgh.