Caregiving: Elder

Statistic # 2357

According to a 2008 AARP survey of older workers, "older Hispanic workers are more likely than others to have taken on care of a parent or other adult relative (38% for Hispanics vs. 30% from African Americans and 28% for whites)." (p. 102)

Groeneman, S. (2008). Staying ahead of the curve 2007: The AARP work and career study. Washington, D.C.: AARP. Retrieved from http://assets.aarp.org/rgcenter/econ/work_career_08.pdf

Interviews were completed for a nationally representative sample of workers ages 45 to 74, including those who are currently employed and those who are unemployed but looking for work. 1500 telephone interviews were conducted from April 13 through May 21, 2007. Additional interviews were completed with African Americans and Hispanics.

Caregiving: Elder

Statistic # 926

"Over half - 53 percent - of primary caregivers are adult daughters, compared to 43 percent of non-caregivers." (p.3)

Center on an Aging Society. (2005, May). Adult children. The likelihood of providing care for an older parent. (Data Profile No. 2). Washington, DC: Center on an Aging Society. Retrieved August 21, 2005, from http://hpi.georgetown.edu/agingsociety/pubhtml/caregiver2/caregiver2.html

"This Profile provides an overview of adult children who are primary caregivers to an older parent that needs assistance performing one or more basic everyday activities…Furthermore, this Profile examines adult children that have living parents but are not primary caregivers as well as adults without any living parents. Adult children, non-caregivers and adults without living parents could be caregivers in another capacity, such as a secondary caregiver or a caregiver to a spouse or sibling."

Caregiving: Elder

Statistic # 924

"Nearly one-quarter - 23 percent - of adults age 51 or older have living parents but do not provide any assistance." (p.2)

Center on an Aging Society. (2005, May). Adult children. The likelihood of providing care for an older parent. (Data Profile No. 2). Washington, DC: Center on an Aging Society. Retrieved August 21, 2005, from http://hpi.georgetown.edu/agingsociety/pubhtml/caregiver2/caregiver2.html

"This Profile provides an overview of adult children who are primary caregivers to an older parent that needs assistance performing one or more basic everyday activities…Furthermore, this Profile examines adult children that have living parents but are not primary caregivers as well as adults without any living parents. Adult children, non-caregivers and adults without living parents could be caregivers in another capacity, such as a secondary caregiver or a caregiver to a spouse or sibling."

Caregiving: Elder

Statistic # 923

"The median annual income of adult children caregivers is slightly smaller than the median annual income of adult children without caregiving responsibilities - $54,720 and $55,000, respectively." (p.2)

Center on an Aging Society. (2005, May). Adult children. The likelihood of providing care for an older parent. (Data Profile No. 2). Washington, DC: Center on an Aging Society. Retrieved August 21, 2005, from http://hpi.georgetown.edu/agingsociety/pubhtml/caregiver2/caregiver2.html

"This Profile provides an overview of adult children who are primary caregivers to an older parent that needs assistance performing one or more basic everyday activities…Furthermore, this Profile examines adult children that have living parents but are not primary caregivers as well as adults without any living parents. Adult children, non-caregivers and adults without living parents could be caregivers in another capacity, such as a secondary caregiver or a caregiver to a spouse or sibling."

Caregiving: Elder

Statistic # 922

"Almost 13 percent of caregivers provide financial assistance compared to 6 percent of other adult children. This results in an average transfer of $2,661 annually to parents receiving physical assistance from their adult children caregivers compared to $2,530 from adult children not providing hands on assistance."  (p.2)

Center on an Aging Society. (2005, May). Adult children. The likelihood of providing care for an older parent. (Data Profile No. 2). Washington, DC: Center on an Aging Society. Retrieved August 21, 2005, from http://hpi.georgetown.edu/agingsociety/pubhtml/caregiver2/caregiver2.html

"This Profile provides an overview of adult children who are primary caregivers to an older parent that needs assistance performing one or more basic everyday activities…Furthermore, this Profile examines adult children that have living parents but are not primary caregivers as well as adults without any living parents. Adult children, non-caregivers and adults without living parents could be caregivers in another capacity, such as a secondary caregiver or a caregiver to a spouse or sibling."

Caregiving: Elder

Statistic # 920

“A slightly larger portion of informal caregivers [of people 65 or older] are adult children today than a decade ago-44 percent in 1999 and 36 percent in 1989.” (p.2)

Center on an Aging Society. (2005, February). A decade of informal caregiving: Are today's informal caregivers different than informal caregivers a decade ago? (Data Profile No. 1). Washington, DC: Center on an Aging Society. Retrieved August 21, 2005, from http://hpi.georgetown.edu/agingsociety/pubhtml/caregiver1/caregiver1.html

"This Data Profile provides an overview of informal caregivers today compared to caregivers a decade ago. For the purpose of this Data Profile, the term "informal caregiver" refers to the primary, unpaid helper of people age 65 or older residing in the community who need assistance with one or more basic everyday activities...The term "older people" refers to the population age 65 or older."

Caregiving: Elder

Statistic # 823

According to the 2003 Eldercare Survey conducted by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), 1% of HR professionals strongly disagreed with the statement "eldercare and related employee issues are likely to cost our organization more money over the next five years;" 7% of HR professionals disagreed, 22% of HR professionals were neutral, 62% of HR professionals agreed, and 9% HR professionals strongly agreed. (Table 4, p.7)

Society for Human Resource Management. (2003, December). 2003 Eldercare Survey. Alexandria, VA: Burke, E. M.

“In June 2003, the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) conducted a survey on eldercare. The impact of eldercare issues on the workforce is an area of growing concern for employers and HR professionals. As more people are dealing with eldercare issues, these issues have begun to impact the workplace and are expected to increase in the years to come. The survey explored current eldercare policies and benefits, the effect of eldercare issues on workers, as well as definitions of an elder, and views of eldercare as an employer issue. The following report provides an analysis of the results. An e-mail with the survey’s Web address was sent to 2,000 randomly selected SHRM members. Of these, 1,725 were successfully delivered to respondents, and 289 HR professionals responded, yielding a response rate of 17%. The report analyzes the results of the survey. The results are analyzed first by overall responses and then by industry and organization size... “

Caregiving: Elder

Statistic # 819

According to the 2003 Eldercare Survey conducted by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), 13% of HR professionals stated that the overall employees in their organization have "turned down advancement opportunities due to eldercare issues;" 87% of overall employees report they have not. (Table 10, p.12)


Society for Human Resource Management. (2003, December). 2003 Eldercare Survey. Alexandria, VA: Burke, E. M.

“In June 2003, the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) conducted a survey on eldercare. The impact of eldercare issues on the workforce is an area of growing concern for employers and HR professionals. As more people are dealing with eldercare issues, these issues have begun to impact the workplace and are expected to increase in the years to come. The survey explored current eldercare policies and benefits, the effect of eldercare issues on workers, as well as definitions of an elder, and views of eldercare as an employer issue. The following report provides an analysis of the results. An e-mail with the survey’s Web address was sent to 2,000 randomly selected SHRM members. Of these, 1,725 were successfully delivered to respondents, and 289 HR professionals responded, yielding a response rate of 17%. The report analyzes the results of the survey. The results are analyzed first by overall responses and then by industry and organization size... “

Caregiving: Elder

Statistic # 815

According to the 2003 Eldercare Survey conducted by Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), 17% of HR professionals reported their organization provided "literature or education on eldercare issues," 75% of HR professionals reported their organization did not offer the benefit, and 8% of HR professionals reported their organization planned to offer the benefit in the next 12 months. (Table 1, p.3)

Society for Human Resource Management. (2003, December). 2003 Eldercare Survey. Alexandria, VA: Burke, E. M.

“In June 2003, the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) conducted a survey on eldercare. The impact of eldercare issues on the workforce is an area of growing concern for employers and HR professionals. As more people are dealing with eldercare issues, these issues have begun to impact the workplace and are expected to increase in the years to come. The survey explored current eldercare policies and benefits, the effect of eldercare issues on workers, as well as definitions of an elder, and views of eldercare as an employer issue. The following report provides an analysis of the results. An e-mail with the survey’s Web address was sent to 2,000 randomly selected SHRM members. Of these, 1,725 were successfully delivered to respondents, and 289 HR professionals responded, yielding a response rate of 17%. The report analyzes the results of the survey. The results are analyzed first by overall responses and then by industry and organization size... “

Caregiving: Elder

Statistic # 814

According to the 2003 Eldercare Survey conducted by Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), 21% of HR professionals reported their organization offered "eldercare referral service," 75% of HR professionals reported their organization did not offer the benefit, and 4% of HR professionals reported their organization planned to offer the benefit in the next 12 months. (Table 1, p.3)





Society for Human Resource Management. (2003, December). 2003 Eldercare Survey. Alexandria, VA: Burke, E. M.

“In June 2003, the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) conducted a survey on eldercare. The impact of eldercare issues on the workforce is an area of growing concern for employers and HR professionals. As more people are dealing with eldercare issues, these issues have begun to impact the workplace and are expected to increase in the years to come. The survey explored current eldercare policies and benefits, the effect of eldercare issues on workers, as well as definitions of an elder, and views of eldercare as an employer issue. The following report provides an analysis of the results. An e-mail with the survey’s Web address was sent to 2,000 randomly selected SHRM members. Of these, 1,725 were successfully delivered to respondents, and 289 HR professionals responded, yielding a response rate of 17%. The report analyzes the results of the survey. The results are analyzed first by overall responses and then by industry and organization size... “

Caregiving: Elder

Statistic # 812

According to the 2003 Eldercare Survey conducted by Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), 40% of HR professionals reported their organization allowed "employees to work part time for eldercare reasons," 59% of HR professionals reported their organization did not offer the benefit, and 1% of HR professionals reported their organization planned to offer the benefit in the next 12 months. (Table 1, p.3)

Society for Human Resource Management. (2003, December). 2003 Eldercare Survey. Alexandria, VA: Burke, E. M.

“In June 2003, the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) conducted a survey on eldercare. The impact of eldercare issues on the workforce is an area of growing concern for employers and HR professionals. As more people are dealing with eldercare issues, these issues have begun to impact the workplace and are expected to increase in the years to come. The survey explored current eldercare policies and benefits, the effect of eldercare issues on workers, as well as definitions of an elder, and views of eldercare as an employer issue. The following report provides an analysis of the results. An e-mail with the survey’s Web address was sent to 2,000 randomly selected SHRM members. Of these, 1,725 were successfully delivered to respondents, and 289 HR professionals responded, yielding a response rate of 17%. The report analyzes the results of the survey. The results are analyzed first by overall responses and then by industry and organization size... “

Caregiving: Elder

Statistic # 811

According to the 2003 Eldercare Survey conducted by Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), 45% of HR professionals reported their organization offered "flextime for eldercare reasons," 54% HR professionals reported their organization did not offer the benefit, and 1% of HR professionals reported their organization planned to offer the benefit in the next 12 months. (Table 1, p.3)

Society for Human Resource Management. (2003, December). 2003 Eldercare Survey. Alexandria, VA: Burke, E. M.

“In June 2003, the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) conducted a survey on eldercare. The impact of eldercare issues on the workforce is an area of growing concern for employers and HR professionals. As more people are dealing with eldercare issues, these issues have begun to impact the workplace and are expected to increase in the years to come. The survey explored current eldercare policies and benefits, the effect of eldercare issues on workers, as well as definitions of an elder, and views of eldercare as an employer issue. The following report provides an analysis of the results. An e-mail with the survey’s Web address was sent to 2,000 randomly selected SHRM members. Of these, 1,725 were successfully delivered to respondents, and 289 HR professionals responded, yielding a response rate of 17%. The report analyzes the results of the survey. The results are analyzed first by overall responses and then by industry and organization size... “

Caregiving: Elder

Statistic # 810

According to the 2003 Eldercare Survey conducted by Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), 54% of HR professionals reported their organization offered "paid sick leave for eldercare issues," 46% of respondents reported their organization did not offer the benefit, and 1% of respondents reported their organization planned to offer the benefit in the next 12 months. (Table 1, p.3)

Society for Human Resource Management. (2003, December). 2003 Eldercare Survey. Alexandria, VA: Burke, E. M.

“In June 2003, the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) conducted a survey on eldercare. The impact of eldercare issues on the workforce is an area of growing concern for employers and HR professionals. As more people are dealing with eldercare issues, these issues have begun to impact the workplace and are expected to increase in the years to come. The survey explored current eldercare policies and benefits, the effect of eldercare issues on workers, as well as definitions of an elder, and views of eldercare as an employer issue. The following report provides an analysis of the results. An e-mail with the survey’s Web address was sent to 2,000 randomly selected SHRM members. Of these, 1,725 were successfully delivered to respondents, and 289 HR professionals responded, yielding a response rate of 17%. The report analyzes the results of the survey. The results are analyzed first by overall responses and then by industry and organization size... “

Caregiving: Elder

Statistic # 809

According to the 2003 Eldercare Survey conducted by Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), 29% of HR professionals reported their organization offered "paid family leave for eldercare reasons," 71% of HR professionals reported their organization did not offer the benefit, and 1% of HR professionals reported their organization planned to offer the benefit in the next 12 months. (Table 1, p.3)

Society for Human Resource Management. (2003, December). 2003 Eldercare Survey. Alexandria, VA: Burke, E. M.

“In June 2003, the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) conducted a survey on eldercare. The impact of eldercare issues on the workforce is an area of growing concern for employers and HR professionals. As more people are dealing with eldercare issues, these issues have begun to impact the workplace and are expected to increase in the years to come. The survey explored current eldercare policies and benefits, the effect of eldercare issues on workers, as well as definitions of an elder, and views of eldercare as an employer issue. The following report provides an analysis of the results. An e-mail with the survey’s Web address was sent to 2,000 randomly selected SHRM members. Of these, 1,725 were successfully delivered to respondents, and 289 HR professionals responded, yielding a response rate of 17%. The report analyzes the results of the survey. The results are analyzed first by overall responses and then by industry and organization size... “

Caregiving: Elder

Statistic # 808

According to the 2003 Eldercare Survey conducted by Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), 35% of HR professionals reported their organization allowed "compressed work schedules for eldercare reasons," while 65% of HR professionals reported their organization did not offer the benefit. (Table 1, p.3)

Society for Human Resource Management. (2003, December). 2003 Eldercare Survey. Alexandria, VA: Burke, E. M.

“In June 2003, the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) conducted a survey on eldercare. The impact of eldercare issues on the workforce is an area of growing concern for employers and HR professionals. As more people are dealing with eldercare issues, these issues have begun to impact the workplace and are expected to increase in the years to come. The survey explored current eldercare policies and benefits, the effect of eldercare issues on workers, as well as definitions of an elder, and views of eldercare as an employer issue. The following report provides an analysis of the results. An e-mail with the survey’s Web address was sent to 2,000 randomly selected SHRM members. Of these, 1,725 were successfully delivered to respondents, and 289 HR professionals responded, yielding a response rate of 17%. The report analyzes the results of the survey. The results are analyzed first by overall responses and then by industry and organization size... “

Caregiving: Elder

Statistic # 807

According to the 2003 Eldercare Survey conducted by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), 1% of HR professionals strongly disagreed with the statement "providing eldercare resources and benefits to employees is too costly to be feasible for my company;" 22% of HR professionals disagreed, 37% of HR professionals were neutral, 30% of HR professionals agreed, and 9% of HR professionals strongly agreed. (Table 4, p.7)

Society for Human Resource Management. (2003, December). 2003 Eldercare Survey. Alexandria, VA: Burke, E. M.

“In June 2003, the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) conducted a survey on eldercare. The impact of eldercare issues on the workforce is an area of growing concern for employers and HR professionals. As more people are dealing with eldercare issues, these issues have begun to impact the workplace and are expected to increase in the years to come. The survey explored current eldercare policies and benefits, the effect of eldercare issues on workers, as well as definitions of an elder, and views of eldercare as an employer issue. The following report provides an analysis of the results. An e-mail with the survey’s Web address was sent to 2,000 randomly selected SHRM members. Of these, 1,725 were successfully delivered to respondents, and 289 HR professionals responded, yielding a response rate of 17%. The report analyzes the results of the survey. The results are analyzed first by overall responses and then by industry and organization size... “

Caregiving: Elder

Statistic # 927

"Roughly three-quarters - 76 percent - of informal caregivers are married compared to 79 percent of non-caregivers." (Figure 3, p.3)

Center on an Aging Society. (2005, May). Adult children. The likelihood of providing care for an older parent. (Data Profile No. 2). Washington, DC: Center on an Aging Society. Retrieved August 21, 2005, from http://hpi.georgetown.edu/agingsociety/pubhtml/caregiver2/caregiver2.html

"This Profile provides an overview of adult children who are primary caregivers to an older parent that needs assistance performing one or more basic everyday activities…Furthermore, this Profile examines adult children that have living parents but are not primary caregivers as well as adults without any living parents. Adult children, non-caregivers and adults without living parents could be caregivers in another capacity, such as a secondary caregiver or a caregiver to a spouse or sibling."

Caregiving: Elder

Statistic # 928

"Similar proportions of caregivers and non-caregivers of working-age (age 51 to 64) are employed - 63 percent and 65 percent, respectively. Three-quarters of employed caregivers of working-age work full time - 40 or more hours per week. A slightly larger proportion - 79 percent - of adult children that do not have caregiving responsibilities work full time...More than one-quarter - 28 percent - of adults without living parents were working for pay and 58 percent of employed adults without living parents were employed full time." (Figure 4, p.4)

Center on an Aging Society. (2005, May). Adult children. The likelihood of providing care for an older parent. (Data Profile No. 2). Washington, DC: Center on an Aging Society. Retrieved August 21, 2005, from http://hpi.georgetown.edu/agingsociety/pubhtml/caregiver2/caregiver2.html

"This Profile provides an overview of adult children who are primary caregivers to an older parent that needs assistance performing one or more basic everyday activities…Furthermore, this Profile examines adult children that have living parents but are not primary caregivers as well as adults without any living parents. Adult children, non-caregivers and adults without living parents could be caregivers in another capacity, such as a secondary caregiver or a caregiver to a spouse or sibling."

Caregiving: Elder

Statistic # 2345

According to a 2008 AARP survey of older workers, "about one-quarter (26%) of 45-74 year old workers currently care for one or more children, and nearly one in five (18%) provide care for a spouse. One in every seven (14%) older workers has responsibility for caring for both a child and an adult." (p. 58)

Groeneman, S. (2008). Staying ahead of the curve 2007: The AARP work and career study. Washington, D.C.: AARP. Retrieved from http://assets.aarp.org/rgcenter/econ/work_career_08.pdf

Interviews were completed for a nationally representative sample of workers ages 45 to 74, including those who are currently employed and those who are unemployed but looking for work.1500 telephone interviews were conducted from April 13 through May 21, 2007. Additional interviews were completed with African Americans and Hispanics.

Caregiving: Elder

Statistic # 2344

According to a 2008 AARP survey of older workers, "over half (52%) of all older workers have at least one person for whom they are responsible for providing care. This is more common among boomers (55%) than among older non-boomers aged 62 and over. (40%)." (p. 58)

Groeneman, S. (2008). Staying ahead of the curve 2007: The AARP work and career study. Washington, D.C.: AARP. Retrieved from http://assets.aarp.org/rgcenter/econ/work_career_08.pdf

Interviews were completed for a nationally representative sample of workers ages 45 to 74, including those who are currently employed and those who are unemployed but looking for work. 1500 telephone interviews were conducted from April 13 through May 21, 2007. Additional interviews were completed with African Americans and Hispanics.

Caregiving: Elder

Statistic # 2244

According to the 2008 National Study of Employers, 75 percent of employers say that they provide paid or unpaid time off for employees to provide elder care without jeopardizing their jobs. Another 31 percent provide employees with information about elder care services or Elder Care Resource and Referral and 23 percent offer Dependent Care Assistance Programs for elder care. (Table 11).

Galinsky, E., Bond, J. T., & Sakai, K. (2008). 2008 national study of employers. New York, NY: Families and Work Institute. Retrieved from http://familiesandwork.org/site/research/reports/2008nse.pdf

The 2008 National Study of Employers (NSE) sample includes 1,100 employers with 50 or more employees--77 percent are for profit employers and 23 percent are nonprofit organizations; 40 percent operate at only one location, while 60 percent have operations at more than one location. Interviews were conducted on behalf of Families and Work Institute by Harris Interactive, Inc. This is the third NSE; previous studies were conducted in 1998 and 2005.

Caregiving: Elder

Statistic # 2055

According to a 2006 MetLife report on caregiving costs, "nearly 60% of those caring for an adult over the age of 50 are working; the majority of those work full-time... The majority of family caregivers (79%) are providing care to someone over the age of 50... Nearly 40% of caregivers are men... The average age of the caregiver for a person over the age of 50 is 47." (p. 5)

MetLife Mature Market Institute, & National Alliance for Caregiving. (2006). The MetLife caregiving cost study: Productivity losses to U.S. businesses. Westport, CT: MetLife. Retrieved from http://www.caregiving.org/data/Caregiver%20Cost%20Study.pdf

This study estimates the productivity losses to U.S. business of employees who must make workplace accommodations as a result of caregiving responsibilities. These include costs associated with replacing employees, absenteeism, crisis in care, workday interruptions, supervisory time, unpaid leave, and reducing hours from full-time to part-time.

Caregiving: Elder

Statistic # 2040

According to a 2005 Pew Research Center survey, 50% of all boomers were raising one or more young children and/or providing primary financial support to one or more adult children. Another 17% whose only children are ages 18 and older were providing some financial assistance to at least one such child, In addition, two-in-ten boomers were providing some financial assistance to a parent. (p.2)

Pew Research Center. (2005). Baby boomers approach 60: From the age of Aquarius to the age of responsibility. Washington, DC: Pew Research Center. Retrieved from http://pewsocialtrends.org/pubs/306/baby-boomers-from-the-age-of-aquarius-to-the-age-of-responsibility

These findings are from a telephone survey of a nationally representative, randomly-selected sample of 3,014 adults, including 1,117 boomers aged 41-59, that was conducted from Oct. 5 through Nov. 6, 2005.

Caregiving: Elder

Statistic # 1720

The adjusted mean lost productive time (LPT*) for a family health reason was significantly higher in younger (less than 40 years of age) than older workers (40 or more years old). For example, 2.7% of workers between the ages of 30-39 reported 2 or more LPT hours per week, compared to 1.02% of workers aged 50-65. The percentage of workers between the ages of 18-39 who reported more than 2 hours of lost productive time (LPT) was 2.51 while the same figure for workers between the ages of 40-65 was 1.49. (Table 2, p. 1239)

*The components of LPT are absence time for personal health reasons, reduced performance time while at work for personal health reasons, and absence time for family health reasons.

Stewart, W. F., Ricci, J. A., Chee, E., & Morganstein, D. (2003). Lost productive work time costs from health conditions in the United States: Results from the American productivity audit. Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 45(12), 1234-1246.

This 2001-02 study used telephone interviews to complete the American Productivity Audit (APA) to gain data on the impact of health conditions on worker productivity in terms of lost productive time (LPT). Over 28,000 surveys were completed over a one-year span and the data analyzed to determine average lost productive time for different variable groups, such as age group, gender, region of residence, respondent work status in last week for pay/profit, and number of hours missed from work in the last week by respondent.

Caregiving: Elder

Statistic # 1718

Among 16,000 workers participating in a survey at a large company, caregivers reported an average of 7.7 hours absent from work during the 2-week study period. Among older workers (aged 55-64), female older workers reported 7.7 hours away from work for caregiving and male older workers reported 4.0 hours during the two week period. (Fig. 1, p. 1052)

Burton, W. N., Chen, C. Y., Conti, D. J., Pransky, G., & Edington, D. W. (2004). Caregiving for ill dependents and its association with employee health risks and productivity. Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 46(10), 1048-1056.

This study examined the loss of productivity and health risk status associated with employees who provide care for an ill dependent. A total of 16,651 employees aged 16-64 (average38.9) of a major financial services company completed a confidential Health Risk Appraisal (HRA) that included an eight-item version of the Work Limitations Questionnaire and a self-report of time missed from work during the previous 2-week period to care for an ill dependent.

Caregiving: Elder

Statistic # 1717

Among 16,000 workers participating in a survey at a large company, approximately 5% of older workers (aged 55-64) reported being absent from work to care for an ill family member during the 2-week study period, compared to 10.6% of the workers overall. (p. 1048)

Burton, W. N., Chen, C. Y., Conti, D. J., Pransky, G., & Edington, D. W. (2004). Caregiving for ill dependents and its association with employee health risks and productivity. Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine / American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 46(10), 1048-1056.

This study examined the loss of productivity and health risk status associated with employees who provide care for an ill dependent. A total of 16,651 employees aged 16-64 (average 38.9) of a major financial services company completed a confidential Health Risk Appraisal (HRA) that included an eight-item version of the Work Limitations Questionnaire and a self-report of time missed from work during the previous 2-week period to care for an ill dependent.

Caregiving: Elder

Statistic # 1622

Analyses of the National Study of the Changing Workforce suggest that approximately 16.7% of the workforce has responsibility for elder care over the course of a single year.

Pitts-Catsouphes, M. (2006). [Analysis of data from the National Study of the Changing Workforce data, 2002]. Unpublished raw data.

The National Study of Business Strategy and Workforce Development is a 2007 study carried out by The Center on Aging & Work / Workplace Flexibility at Boston College. Data on employer response to the aging workforce was gathered for a sample of 578 nongovernmental organizations within 50 or more employees.

Caregiving: Elder

Statistic # 1615

"Among adults age 51or older more than one in ten are providing assistance with basic everyday activities to their parents." 12% are the primary caregiver. (p. 2)

 [Editors note: Not all of the caregivers in this study were in the labor force.]

Center on an Aging Society, Georgetown University. (2005). Adult children: The likelihood of providing care for an older parent. (Data Profile No. 2). Washington, D.C.: Author. Retrieved November 1, 2007 from http://hpi.georgetown.edu/agingsociety/pdfs/CAREGIVERS2.pdf



"This Profile provides an overview of adult children who are primary caregivers to an older parent that needs assistance performing one or more basic everyday activities. Furthermore, this Profile examines adult children that have living parents but are not primary caregivers as well as adults without any living parents. Adult children, non-caregivers and adults without living parents could be caregivers in another capacity, such as a secondary caregiver or a caregiver to a spouse or sibling."

Caregiving: Elder

Statistic # 1574

According to analysis of the National Study of the Changing Workforce, older adult workers are much more likely than younger workers to report that they have provided some type of care to a relative 65 years or older at some point during the past year; 43% of adults over age 50 reported involvement in elder caregiving, compared to 35% of adults aged 31-49.




Shen, C. (2007). [Analysis of the National Study of the Changing Workforce]. Unpublished raw data.

Graph in Pitt-Catsouphes, M., & Smyer, M. A. (2007). The 21st century multi-generational workplace (Issue Brief No. 09). Chestnut Hill, MA: Boston College Center on Aging & Work/Workplace Flexibility. Retrieved November 1, 2007 from http://agingandwork.bc.edu/documents/IB09_MultiGenWorkplace_001.pdf

The National Study of the Changing Workforce (NSCW) is conducted every five years. It surveys large samples of the U.S. workforce to collect information about both the work and personal lives of U.S. workers. The NSCW builds upon and expands the scope of the U.S. Department of Labor’s Quality of Employment Survey, which was discontinued following 1977 data collection. Data from the NSCW surveys (1992, 1997, 2002) are available (www. familiesandwork.org) for use by other researchers and have been extensively analyzed with many findings presented and published. Numerous reports presenting findings from different analyses of the NSCW can be found on the website of the Families and Work Institute.

Caregiving: Elder

Statistic # 1139

"35% of Boomers have been or are responsible for the care of their elderly parent, up nine points since since 1998." (p.8)

AARP. (2004, May). Baby Boomers Envision Retirement II. (A national survey conducted for AARP by Roper ASW). Washington, DC: AARP.

"This report presents the results of a major research initiative commissioned by AARP and conducted by Roper ASW aimed at better understanding the Baby Boom generation as it moves into its retirement years. The findings reported here build upon an earlier benchmark study from 1998, Baby Boomers Envision Their Retirement, also a collaboration between AARP and Roper." (p.8)

Caregiving: Elder

Statistic # 1129

A study by Chesley and Moen (2006) found that "more women (13.4%)  than men (9.6%) [of middle-class, dual-earner couples] provide care consistently…, whereas more men (67.2%) than women (61.8%) have no caregiving responsibilties." (p.1258)

Chesley, N. & Moen, P. (2006, May). When workers care: Dual-earner couples' caregiving strategies, benefit use, and psychological well-being. American Behavioral Scientist, 49(9), 1248-1269.

This study uses data from the Ecology of Careers Study, using only dual-earner, middle class couples (N=884 couples).  "These couples are relatively affluent and well educated, and most respondents (95%) are White." (p.1256-1257)

Caregiving: Elder

Statistic # 1109

The National Study of Employers, which surveyed workplaces with 50 or more employees, found that “79 percent of employers say that they provide paid or unpaid time off for employees to provide elder care without jeopardizing their jobs…29 percent provide employees with information about elder care services. Only 6 percent provide direct financial support for local elder care programs.” (Table 11, p. 17)


Families and Work Institute. (2005, September).2005 National Study of Employers. New York, NY: Bond, T. J., Galinsky, E., Kim, S. S., & Brownfield, E. Retrieved August 02, 2006, from http://familiesandwork.org/press/2005nserelease.html#nse

“Families and Work Institute’s 2005 National Study of Employers (NSE) is one of the most comprehensive and far-reaching study of the practices, policies, programs and benefits provided by U.S. employers to address the changing needs of today’s workforce and workplace…will provide ongoing measurements of employer work life benefits, policies, and practices. In 2005, it was redesigned to include a nationally representative sample of employers with 50 or more employers…The 2005 NSE sample included 1,092 employers with 50 or more employees-66 percent are for-profit companies and 34 percent are nonprofit organizations; 44 percent operate at only one location, while 56 percent have operations at more than one location.”

Caregiving: Elder

Statistic # 929

"Almost two out of five caregivers - 38 percent - volunteer at a hospital, school, church, or other organization in their community. In comparison, 30 percent of adult children not providing care to a parent engage in some form of volunteer work."(p.6)

Center on an Aging Society. (2005, May). Adult children. The likelihood of providing care for an older parent. (Data Profile No. 2). Washington, DC: Center on an Aging Society. Retrieved August 21, 2005, from http://hpi.georgetown.edu/agingsociety/pubhtml/caregiver2/caregiver2.html

"This Profile provides an overview of adult children who are primary caregivers to an older parent that needs assistance performing one or more basic everyday activities…Furthermore, this Profile examines adult children that have living parents but are not primary caregivers as well as adults without any living parents. Adult children, non-caregivers and adults without living parents could be caregivers in another capacity, such as a secondary caregiver or a caregiver to a spouse or sibling."

Caregiving: Elder

Statistic # 806

According to the 2003 Eldercare Survey conducted by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), 3% of HR professionals strongly disagreed with the statement "eldercare issues can inhibit an employee's career growth/advancement opportunities;" 19% of HR professionals disagreed, 32% of HR professionals were neutral, 41% of HR professionals agreed, and 4% of HR professionals strongly agreed. (Table 4, p.7)

Society for Human Resource Management. (2003, December). 2003 Eldercare Survey. Alexandria, VA: Burke, E. M.

“In June 2003, the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) conducted a survey on eldercare. The impact of eldercare issues on the workforce is an area of growing concern for employers and HR professionals. As more people are dealing with eldercare issues, these issues have begun to impact the workplace and are expected to increase in the years to come. The survey explored current eldercare policies and benefits, the effect of eldercare issues on workers, as well as definitions of an elder, and views of eldercare as an employer issue. The following report provides an analysis of the results. An e-mail with the survey’s Web address was sent to 2,000 randomly selected SHRM members. Of these, 1,725 were successfully delivered to respondents, and 289 HR professionals responded, yielding a response rate of 17%. The report analyzes the results of the survey. The results are analyzed first by overall responses and then by industry and organization size... “

Caregiving: Elder

Statistic # 805

According to the 2003 Eldercare Survey conducted by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), 1% of HR professionals strongly disagreed with the statement "providing eldercare resources and benefits to employees helps recruit and retain employees;" 12% of HR professionals disagreed, 40% of HR professionals were neutral, 42% of HR professionals agreed, and 5% of HR professionals strongly agreed. (Table 4, p.7)

Society for Human Resource Management. (2003, December). 2003 Eldercare Survey. Alexandria, VA: Burke, E. M.

“In June 2003, the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) conducted a survey on eldercare. The impact of eldercare issues on the workforce is an area of growing concern for employers and HR professionals. As more people are dealing with eldercare issues, these issues have begun to impact the workplace and are expected to increase in the years to come. The survey explored current eldercare policies and benefits, the effect of eldercare issues on workers, as well as definitions of an elder, and views of eldercare as an employer issue. The following report provides an analysis of the results. An e-mail with the survey’s Web address was sent to 2,000 randomly selected SHRM members. Of these, 1,725 were successfully delivered to respondents, and 289 HR professionals responded, yielding a response rate of 17%. The report analyzes the results of the survey. The results are analyzed first by overall responses and then by industry and organization size... “

Caregiving: Elder

Statistic # 782

According to the 2003 Eldercare Survey conducted by Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), 69% of respondents reported their employer offered an "employee assistance program for counseling and support of caregivers," 29% reported their employer did not offer the benefit, and 2% reported their employer planned to offer the benefit in the next 12 months. (Table 1, p.3)




Society for Human Resource Management. (2003, December). 2003 Eldercare Survey. Alexandria, VA: Burke, E. M.

“In June 2003, the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) conducted a survey on eldercare. The impact of eldercare issues on the workforce is an area of growing concern for employers and HR professionals. As more people are dealing with eldercare issues, these issues have begun to impact the workplace and are expected to increase in the years to come. The survey explored current eldercare policies and benefits, the effect of eldercare issues on workers, as well as definitions of an elder, and views of eldercare as an employer issue. The following report provides an analysis of the results. An e-mail with the survey’s Web address was sent to 2,000 randomly selected SHRM members. Of these, 1,725 were successfully delivered to respondents, and 289 HR professionals responded, yielding a response rate of 17%. The report analyzes the results of the survey. The results are analyzed first by overall responses and then by industry and organization size... “

Caregiving: Elder

Statistic # 781

According to the 2003 Eldercare Survey conducted by Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), 72% of HR professionals reported their organization offered "leave without pay options for eldercare reasons," while 28% of respondents reported their organization did not offer the benefit. (Table 1, p.3)

Society for Human Resource Management. (2003, December). 2003 Eldercare Survey. Alexandria, VA: Burke, E. M.

“In June 2003, the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) conducted a survey on eldercare. The impact of eldercare issues on the workforce is an area of growing concern for employers and HR professionals. As more people are dealing with eldercare issues, these issues have begun to impact the workplace and are expected to increase in the years to come. The survey explored current eldercare policies and benefits, the effect of eldercare issues on workers, as well as definitions of an elder, and views of eldercare as an employer issue. The following report provides an analysis of the results. An e-mail with the survey’s Web address was sent to 2,000 randomly selected SHRM members. Of these, 1,725 were successfully delivered to respondents, and 289 HR professionals responded, yielding a response rate of 17%. The report analyzes the results of the survey. The results are analyzed first by overall responses and then by industry and organization size... “

Caregiving: Elder

Statistic # 780

According to the 2003 Eldercare Survey conducted by Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), 76% of HR professionals reported their organization offered "unpaid family leave for eldercare issues," while 24% of respondents reported their organization did not offer the benefit. (Table 1, p.3)


Society for Human Resource Management. (2003, December). 2003 Eldercare Survey. Alexandria, VA: Burke, E. M.

“In June 2003, the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) conducted a survey on eldercare. The impact of eldercare issues on the workforce is an area of growing concern for employers and HR professionals. As more people are dealing with eldercare issues, these issues have begun to impact the workplace and are expected to increase in the years to come. The survey explored current eldercare policies and benefits, the effect of eldercare issues on workers, as well as definitions of an elder, and views of eldercare as an employer issue. The following report provides an analysis of the results. An e-mail with the survey’s Web address was sent to 2,000 randomly selected SHRM members. Of these, 1,725 were successfully delivered to respondents, and 289 HR professionals responded, yielding a response rate of 17%. The report analyzes the results of the survey. The results are analyzed first by overall responses and then by industry and organization size... “

Caregiving: Elder

Statistic # 779

According to the 2003 Eldercare Survey conducted by Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), 88% of HR professionals reported that their organization offered "FMLA leave for eldercare reasons," 11% of respondents stated their organization did not offer the benefit, and 1% of respondents reported their organization planned to offer the benefit in the next 12 months. (Table 1, p.3)

Society for Human Resource Management. (2003, December). 2003 Eldercare Survey. Alexandria, VA: Burke, E. M.

“In June 2003, the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) conducted a survey on eldercare. The impact of eldercare issues on the workforce is an area of growing concern for employers and HR professionals. As more people are dealing with eldercare issues, these issues have begun to impact the workplace and are expected to increase in the years to come. The survey explored current eldercare policies and benefits, the effect of eldercare issues on workers, as well as definitions of an elder, and views of eldercare as an employer issue. The following report provides an analysis of the results. An e-mail with the survey’s Web address was sent to 2,000 randomly selected SHRM members. Of these, 1,725 were successfully delivered to respondents, and 289 HR professionals responded, yielding a response rate of 17%. The report analyzes the results of the survey. The results are analyzed first by overall responses and then by industry and organization size... “

Caregiving: Elder

Statistic # 778

According to the 2003 Eldercare Survey conducted by Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), 90% of HR professionals reported that their organization offered "paid bereavement leave," while 10% of respondents reported their employer did not offer the benefit. (Table 1, p.3)

Society for Human Resource Management. (2003, December). 2003 Eldercare Survey. Alexandria, VA: Burke, E. M.

“In June 2003, the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) conducted a survey on eldercare. The impact of eldercare issues on the workforce is an area of growing concern for employers and HR professionals. As more people are dealing with eldercare issues, these issues have begun to impact the workplace and are expected to increase in the years to come. The survey explored current eldercare policies and benefits, the effect of eldercare issues on workers, as well as definitions of an elder, and views of eldercare as an employer issue. The following report provides an analysis of the results. An e-mail with the survey’s Web address was sent to 2,000 randomly selected SHRM members. Of these, 1,725 were successfully delivered to respondents, and 289 HR professionals responded, yielding a response rate of 17%. The report analyzes the results of the survey. The results are analyzed first by overall responses and then by industry and organization size... “

Caregiving: Elder

Statistic # 776

According to the 2003 Eldercare Survey conducted by Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), “11% of HR professionals reported their organization trains managers to understand and deal with employee eldercare issues. In other words, nearly nine out of 10 respondents stated that their organization does not specifically train managers in these issues. Because eldercare is such a private issue, and with employees of different generations heading up departments, understanding eldercare issues is an important management skill.” (p.8)


Society for Human Resource Management. (2003, December). 2003 Eldercare Survey. Alexandria, VA: Burke, E. M.

“In June 2003, the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) conducted a survey on eldercare. The impact of eldercare issues on the workforce is an area of growing concern for employers and HR professionals. As more people are dealing with eldercare issues, these issues have begun to impact the workplace and are expected to increase in the years to come. The survey explored current eldercare policies and benefits, the effect of eldercare issues on workers, as well as definitions of an elder, and views of eldercare as an employer issue. The following report provides an analysis of the results. An e-mail with the survey’s Web address was sent to 2,000 randomly selected SHRM members. Of these, 1,725 were successfully delivered to respondents, and 289 HR professionals responded, yielding a response rate of 17%. The report analyzes the results of the survey. The results are analyzed first by overall responses and then by industry and organization size... “

Caregiving: Elder

Statistic # 775

According to the 2003 Eldercare Survey conducted by Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), “eldercare issues indicate a negative impact on an employee’s productivity even when he or she is physically present in the office. Forty-four percent of respondents report workday interruptions as a result of eldercare issues; 41% report mental/concentration problems; and 37% report excessive personal phone calls/business during work hours.” (p.6)

Society for Human Resource Management. (2003, December). 2003 Eldercare Survey. Alexandria, VA: Burke, E. M.

“In June 2003, the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) conducted a survey on eldercare. The impact of eldercare issues on the workforce is an area of growing concern for employers and HR professionals. As more people are dealing with eldercare issues, these issues have begun to impact the workplace and are expected to increase in the years to come. The survey explored current eldercare policies and benefits, the effect of eldercare issues on workers, as well as definitions of an elder, and views of eldercare as an employer issue. The following report provides an analysis of the results. An e-mail with the survey’s Web address was sent to 2,000 randomly selected SHRM members. Of these, 1,725 were successfully delivered to respondents, and 289 HR professionals responded, yielding a response rate of 17%. The report analyzes the results of the survey. The results are analyzed first by overall responses and then by industry and organization size... “

Caregiving: Elder

Statistic # 774

According to the 2003 Eldercare Survey conducted by Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), “almost one-half of HR professionals (47%) indicated that the number of employees dealing with eldercare issues has increased in the past several years. Fifty-two percent said they were not aware of any change, and 1% said the number of employees dealing with eldercare issues has decreased. These numbers do not square with the increasingly older population; as the number of older Americans increases, the number of people caring for an older relative or friend obviously increases as well.” (Chart 6, p.5)

Society for Human Resource Management. (2003, December). 2003 Eldercare Survey. Alexandria, VA: Burke, E. M.

“In June 2003, the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) conducted a survey on eldercare. The impact of eldercare issues on the workforce is an area of growing concern for employers and HR professionals. As more people are dealing with eldercare issues, these issues have begun to impact the workplace and are expected to increase in the years to come. The survey explored current eldercare policies and benefits, the effect of eldercare issues on workers, as well as definitions of an elder, and views of eldercare as an employer issue. The following report provides an analysis of the results. An e-mail with the survey’s Web address was sent to 2,000 randomly selected SHRM members. Of these, 1,725 were successfully delivered to respondents, and 289 HR professionals responded, yielding a response rate of 17%. The report analyzes the results of the survey. The results are analyzed first by overall responses and then by industry and organization size... “

Caregiving: Elder

Statistic # 773

According to the 2003 Eldercare Survey conducted by Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), “almost three-quarters of HR professionals (74%) allow employees to use eldercare benefits to care for a parent, and over half to care for the parent of a legal spouse.” (p.5)

Society for Human Resource Management. (2003, December). 2003 Eldercare Survey. Alexandria, VA: Burke, E. M.

“In June 2003, the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) conducted a survey on eldercare. The impact of eldercare issues on the workforce is an area of growing concern for employers and HR professionals. As more people are dealing with eldercare issues, these issues have begun to impact the workplace and are expected to increase in the years to come. The survey explored current eldercare policies and benefits, the effect of eldercare issues on workers, as well as definitions of an elder, and views of eldercare as an employer issue. The following report provides an analysis of the results. An e-mail with the survey’s Web address was sent to 2,000 randomly selected SHRM members. Of these, 1,725 were successfully delivered to respondents, and 289 HR professionals responded, yielding a response rate of 17%. The report analyzes the results of the survey. The results are analyzed first by overall responses and then by industry and organization size... “

Caregiving: Elder

Statistic # 772

According to the 2003 Eldercare Survey conducted by Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), “when asked whether their organization’s paid time off policy specifically includes eldercare, 14% of HR professionals reported their organization does not have a paid time off policy. Of the respondents with a paid time off policy, 77% said their paid time off policy does not specifically include eldercare, and 23% said their policy does include eldercare. It may be that for those who responded that their organization’s policy does not specifically include eldercare, the policy does not specifically exclude eldercare either." (Chart 4, p.2)

Society for Human Resource Management. (2003, December). 2003 Eldercare Survey. Alexandria, VA: Burke, E. M.

“In June 2003, the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) conducted a survey on eldercare. The impact of eldercare issues on the workforce is an area of growing concern for employers and HR professionals. As more people are dealing with eldercare issues, these issues have begun to impact the workplace and are expected to increase in the years to come. The survey explored current eldercare policies and benefits, the effect of eldercare issues on workers, as well as definitions of an elder, and views of eldercare as an employer issue. The following report provides an analysis of the results. An e-mail with the survey’s Web address was sent to 2,000 randomly selected SHRM members. Of these, 1,725 were successfully delivered to respondents, and 289 HR professionals responded, yielding a response rate of 17%. The report analyzes the results of the survey. The results are analyzed first by overall responses and then by industry and organization size... “

Caregiving: Elder

Statistic # 771

According to the 2003 Eldercare survey conducted by Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), “only 6% of HR professionals reported their organization has a specific policy or policies addressing eldercare issues. This number is even smaller than the 25% who offer eldercare benefits�"the discrepancy implies that many eldercare policies, even where offered, are informal.” (Chart 2, p.1)



Society for Human Resource Management. (2003, December). 2003 Eldercare Survey. Alexandria, VA: Burke, E. M.

“In June 2003, the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) conducted a survey on eldercare. The impact of eldercare issues on the workforce is an area of growing concern for employers and HR professionals. As more people are dealing with eldercare issues, these issues have begun to impact the workplace and are expected to increase in the years to come. The survey explored current eldercare policies and benefits, the effect of eldercare issues on workers, as well as definitions of an elder, and views of eldercare as an employer issue. The following report provides an analysis of the results. An e-mail with the survey’s Web address was sent to 2,000 randomly selected SHRM members. Of these, 1,725 were successfully delivered to respondents, and 289 HR professionals responded, yielding a response rate of 17%. The report analyzes the results of the survey. The results are analyzed first by overall responses and then by industry and organization size... “

Caregiving: Elder

Statistic # 770

According to the 2003 Eldercare Survey conducted by Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), “only one-quarter (25%) of HR professionals reported their organization offers eldercare benefits (i.e., benefits designed to allow employees to take care of their parents or other relatives).” (Chart 1, p.1)

Society for Human Resource Management. (2003, December). 2003 Eldercare Survey. Alexandria, VA: Burke, E. M.

“In June 2003, the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) conducted a survey on eldercare. The impact of eldercare issues on the workforce is an area of growing concern for employers and HR professionals. As more people are dealing with eldercare issues, these issues have begun to impact the workplace and are expected to increase in the years to come. The survey explored current eldercare policies and benefits, the effect of eldercare issues on workers, as well as definitions of an elder, and views of eldercare as an employer issue. The following report provides an analysis of the results. An e-mail with the survey’s Web address was sent to 2,000 randomly selected SHRM members. Of these, 1,725 were successfully delivered to respondents, and 289 HR professionals responded, yielding a response rate of 17%. The report analyzes the results of the survey. The results are analyzed first by overall responses and then by industry and organization size... “

Caregiving: Elder

Statistic # 362

Only two percent of the respondents to The Conference Board survey listed their caregiving responsibilities as a reason for retiring. (p.21)

Parkinson, D. (2002).  Voices of experience: Mature workers in the future workforce. New York, NY: The Conference Board.



"Anticipating the impact of demographic trends on businesses, The Conference Board has been engaged in research examining the aging population, health care for retired employees, and the opportunities and constraints of employing older workers.  The Board convened the Engaging Mature Workers Working Group in September 2000 to address the challenge of maintaining a productive workforce in an aging society.  HR executives representing corporate staffing, benefits administration and diversity management functions at 15 leading companies are lending their expertise to developing business strategies that maximize the talents of mature workers."

Caregiving: Elder

Statistic # 341

According to the National Alliance for Caregiving and AARP, “male caregivers are more likely to be working full or part-time than female caregivers (66% v 55%). (p.8)

National Alliance for Caregiving and AARP. (2004, April) Caregiving in the U.S. Research Report. Washington, DC: National Alliance for Caregiving and AARP. Retrieved July 15, 2005, from http://www.aarp.org/research/reference/publicopinions/aresearch-import-853.html

“The purpose of this study-a joint project of the National Alliance for Caregiving and AARP and funded by MetLife Foundation-is to update and expand knowledge about the activities caregivers say they perform, the perceived impact of caregiving on their daily lives, and the unmet needs of this population. Its findings are based on a national telephone survey of 1,247 caregivers age 18 or older, including approximately 200 African-American, 200 Hispanic, and 200 Asian-American caregivers. Interviewing was conducted from September 5 through December 22, 2003.”

Caregiving: Elder

Statistic # 340

"Among women and men of all ages, women ages 50 to 64 are the group most likely to be caring for sick and disabled family members.  Nearly one in five (18%) of these women report being a caregiver--a rate two and a half times higher than reported by women 19 to 29." (p.2)

The Commonwealth Fund. (2005, August). A look at working-age caregivers' roles, health concerns, and need for support. (Issue Brief). New York: Ho, A., Sara, R. K., Karen, D., & Michelle, M. D.

“Based on data from the Commonwealth Fund Biennial Health Insurance Survey, nearly one of 10 working-age adults ages 19 to 64 is caring for a sick or disabled family member, for a total of 16 million caregivers in 2003...This study finds that caregivers are less likely than non-caregivers to be working, more likely to miss days of work when they are employed, and more likely to lack health insurance coverage.”

Caregiving: Elder

Statistic # 783

According to the 2003 Eldercare Survey conducted by Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), 66% of HR professionals reported their organization offered "paid funeral leave for eldercare reasons," while 34% of respondents reported their organization did not offer the benefit. (Table 1, p.3)

Society for Human Resource Management. (2003, December). 2003 Eldercare Survey. Alexandria, VA: Burke, E. M.

“In June 2003, the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) conducted a survey on eldercare. The impact of eldercare issues on the workforce is an area of growing concern for employers and HR professionals. As more people are dealing with eldercare issues, these issues have begun to impact the workplace and are expected to increase in the years to come. The survey explored current eldercare policies and benefits, the effect of eldercare issues on workers, as well as definitions of an elder, and views of eldercare as an employer issue. The following report provides an analysis of the results. An e-mail with the survey’s Web address was sent to 2,000 randomly selected SHRM members. Of these, 1,725 were successfully delivered to respondents, and 289 HR professionals responded, yielding a response rate of 17%. The report analyzes the results of the survey. The results are analyzed first by overall responses and then by industry and organization size... “

Caregiving: Elder

Statistic # 784

According to the 2003 Eldercare Survey conducted by Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), 64% of HR professionals reported their organization offered "dependent care flexible spending accounts," 33% of respondents reported their organization did not offer the benefit, and 3% of respondents reported their organization planned to offer the benefit in the next 12 months. (Table 1, p.3)




Society for Human Resource Management. (2003, December). 2003 Eldercare Survey. Alexandria, VA: Burke, E. M.

“In June 2003, the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) conducted a survey on eldercare. The impact of eldercare issues on the workforce is an area of growing concern for employers and HR professionals. As more people are dealing with eldercare issues, these issues have begun to impact the workplace and are expected to increase in the years to come. The survey explored current eldercare policies and benefits, the effect of eldercare issues on workers, as well as definitions of an elder, and views of eldercare as an employer issue. The following report provides an analysis of the results. An e-mail with the survey’s Web address was sent to 2,000 randomly selected SHRM members. Of these, 1,725 were successfully delivered to respondents, and 289 HR professionals responded, yielding a response rate of 17%. The report analyzes the results of the survey. The results are analyzed first by overall responses and then by industry and organization size... “

Caregiving: Elder

Statistic # 804

According to the 2003 Eldercare Survey conducted by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), 21% of HR professionals did not report any problems resulting from eldercare issues within their organization. (Table 3, p.6)

Society for Human Resource Management. (2003, December). 2003 Eldercare Survey. Alexandria, VA: Burke, E. M.

“In June 2003, the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) conducted a survey on eldercare. The impact of eldercare issues on the workforce is an area of growing concern for employers and HR professionals. As more people are dealing with eldercare issues, these issues have begun to impact the workplace and are expected to increase in the years to come. The survey explored current eldercare policies and benefits, the effect of eldercare issues on workers, as well as definitions of an elder, and views of eldercare as an employer issue. The following report provides an analysis of the results. An e-mail with the survey’s Web address was sent to 2,000 randomly selected SHRM members. Of these, 1,725 were successfully delivered to respondents, and 289 HR professionals responded, yielding a response rate of 17%. The report analyzes the results of the survey. The results are analyzed first by overall responses and then by industry and organization size... “

Caregiving: Elder

Statistic # 803

According to the 2003 Eldercare Survey conducted by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), 9% of HR professionals reported their organization has seen "resentment from other employees" due to eldercare issues. (Table 3, p.6)

Society for Human Resource Management. (2003, December). 2003 Eldercare Survey. Alexandria, VA: Burke, E. M.

“In June 2003, the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) conducted a survey on eldercare. The impact of eldercare issues on the workforce is an area of growing concern for employers and HR professionals. As more people are dealing with eldercare issues, these issues have begun to impact the workplace and are expected to increase in the years to come. The survey explored current eldercare policies and benefits, the effect of eldercare issues on workers, as well as definitions of an elder, and views of eldercare as an employer issue. The following report provides an analysis of the results. An e-mail with the survey’s Web address was sent to 2,000 randomly selected SHRM members. Of these, 1,725 were successfully delivered to respondents, and 289 HR professionals responded, yielding a response rate of 17%. The report analyzes the results of the survey. The results are analyzed first by overall responses and then by industry and organization size... “

Caregiving: Elder

Statistic # 801

According to the 2003 Eldercare Survey conducted by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), 16% of HR professionals reported their organization has seen "strained employee/manager relationships" due to eldercare issues. (Table 3, p.6)

Society for Human Resource Management. (2003, December). 2003 Eldercare Survey. Alexandria, VA: Burke, E. M.

“In June 2003, the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) conducted a survey on eldercare. The impact of eldercare issues on the workforce is an area of growing concern for employers and HR professionals. As more people are dealing with eldercare issues, these issues have begun to impact the workplace and are expected to increase in the years to come. The survey explored current eldercare policies and benefits, the effect of eldercare issues on workers, as well as definitions of an elder, and views of eldercare as an employer issue. The following report provides an analysis of the results. An e-mail with the survey’s Web address was sent to 2,000 randomly selected SHRM members. Of these, 1,725 were successfully delivered to respondents, and 289 HR professionals responded, yielding a response rate of 17%. The report analyzes the results of the survey. The results are analyzed first by overall responses and then by industry and organization size... “

Caregiving: Elder

Statistic # 800

According to the 2003 Eldercare Survey conducted by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), 28% of HR professionals reported their organization has seen "scheduling difficulties" due to eldercare issues. (Table 3, p.6)

Society for Human Resource Management. (2003, December). 2003 Eldercare Survey. Alexandria, VA: Burke, E. M.

“In June 2003, the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) conducted a survey on eldercare. The impact of eldercare issues on the workforce is an area of growing concern for employers and HR professionals. As more people are dealing with eldercare issues, these issues have begun to impact the workplace and are expected to increase in the years to come. The survey explored current eldercare policies and benefits, the effect of eldercare issues on workers, as well as definitions of an elder, and views of eldercare as an employer issue. The following report provides an analysis of the results. An e-mail with the survey’s Web address was sent to 2,000 randomly selected SHRM members. Of these, 1,725 were successfully delivered to respondents, and 289 HR professionals responded, yielding a response rate of 17%. The report analyzes the results of the survey. The results are analyzed first by overall responses and then by industry and organization size... “

Caregiving: Elder

Statistic # 799

According to the 2003 Eldercare Survey conducted by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), 29% of HR professionals reported their organization has seen "stress-related health problems" due to eldercare issues. (Table 3, p.6)

Society for Human Resource Management. (2003, December). 2003 Eldercare Survey. Alexandria, VA: Burke, E. M.

“In June 2003, the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) conducted a survey on eldercare. The impact of eldercare issues on the workforce is an area of growing concern for employers and HR professionals. As more people are dealing with eldercare issues, these issues have begun to impact the workplace and are expected to increase in the years to come. The survey explored current eldercare policies and benefits, the effect of eldercare issues on workers, as well as definitions of an elder, and views of eldercare as an employer issue. The following report provides an analysis of the results. An e-mail with the survey’s Web address was sent to 2,000 randomly selected SHRM members. Of these, 1,725 were successfully delivered to respondents, and 289 HR professionals responded, yielding a response rate of 17%. The report analyzes the results of the survey. The results are analyzed first by overall responses and then by industry and organization size... “

Caregiving: Elder

Statistic # 796

According to the 2003 Eldercare Survey conducted by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), 74% of HR professionals reported their organization allows employees to use eldercare benefits to care for a parent. 57% of HR professionals reported their organization allows employees to use eldercare benefits to care for the parents of a legal spouse. 41% of HR professionals reported their organization allows employees to use eldercare benefits to care for stepparents. 40% of HR professionals reported their organization allows employees to use eldercare benefits to care for grandparents. 29% of HR professionals reported their organization allows employees to use eldercare benefits for anyone in the employee's household/residence. 21% of HR professionals reported their organization allows employees to use eldercare benefits for any blood relative. 19% of HR professionals reported their organization allows employees to use eldercare benefits for the "parents of domestic partner (opposite sex)." 18% of HR professionals reported their organization allows employees to use eldercare benefits for the "parents of domestic partner (same sex)." 10% of HR professionals reported their organization does not allow employees to use eldercare benefits. 4% of HR professionals reported their organization allows employees to use their eldercare benefits for anyone. 6% of HR professionals reported their organization allows employees to use their eldercare benefits for other reasons. (Table 2, p.4)

Society for Human Resource Management. (2003, December). 2003 Eldercare Survey. Alexandria, VA: Burke, E. M.

“In June 2003, the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) conducted a survey on eldercare. The impact of eldercare issues on the workforce is an area of growing concern for employers and HR professionals. As more people are dealing with eldercare issues, these issues have begun to impact the workplace and are expected to increase in the years to come. The survey explored current eldercare policies and benefits, the effect of eldercare issues on workers, as well as definitions of an elder, and views of eldercare as an employer issue. The following report provides an analysis of the results. An e-mail with the survey’s Web address was sent to 2,000 randomly selected SHRM members. Of these, 1,725 were successfully delivered to respondents, and 289 HR professionals responded, yielding a response rate of 17%. The report analyzes the results of the survey. The results are analyzed first by overall responses and then by industry and organization size... “

Caregiving: Elder

Statistic # 795

According to the 2003 Eldercare Survey conducted by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), 100% of HR professionals reported their organization did not offer "subsidized eldercare." (Table 1, p.3)

Society for Human Resource Management. (2003, December). 2003 Eldercare Survey. Alexandria, VA: Burke, E. M.

“In June 2003, the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) conducted a survey on eldercare. The impact of eldercare issues on the workforce is an area of growing concern for employers and HR professionals. As more people are dealing with eldercare issues, these issues have begun to impact the workplace and are expected to increase in the years to come. The survey explored current eldercare policies and benefits, the effect of eldercare issues on workers, as well as definitions of an elder, and views of eldercare as an employer issue. The following report provides an analysis of the results. An e-mail with the survey’s Web address was sent to 2,000 randomly selected SHRM members. Of these, 1,725 were successfully delivered to respondents, and 289 HR professionals responded, yielding a response rate of 17%. The report analyzes the results of the survey. The results are analyzed first by overall responses and then by industry and organization size... “

Caregiving: Elder

Statistic # 794

According to the 2003 Eldercare Survey conducted by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), 100% of HR professionals reported their organization did not offer "eldercare on-site." (Table 1, p.3)

Society for Human Resource Management. (2003, December). 2003 Eldercare Survey. Alexandria, VA: Burke, E. M.

“In June 2003, the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) conducted a survey on eldercare. The impact of eldercare issues on the workforce is an area of growing concern for employers and HR professionals. As more people are dealing with eldercare issues, these issues have begun to impact the workplace and are expected to increase in the years to come. The survey explored current eldercare policies and benefits, the effect of eldercare issues on workers, as well as definitions of an elder, and views of eldercare as an employer issue. The following report provides an analysis of the results. An e-mail with the survey’s Web address was sent to 2,000 randomly selected SHRM members. Of these, 1,725 were successfully delivered to respondents, and 289 HR professionals responded, yielding a response rate of 17%. The report analyzes the results of the survey. The results are analyzed first by overall responses and then by industry and organization size... “

Caregiving: Elder

Statistic # 792

According to the 2003 Eldercare Survey conducted by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), 7% of HR professionals reported their organization offered "caregiver support groups," 91% of HR professionals reported their organization did not offer the benefit, and 1% of HR professionals reported their organization planned to offer the benefit in the next 12 months. (Table 1, p.3)


Society for Human Resource Management. (2003, December). 2003 Eldercare Survey. Alexandria, VA: Burke, E. M.

“In June 2003, the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) conducted a survey on eldercare. The impact of eldercare issues on the workforce is an area of growing concern for employers and HR professionals. As more people are dealing with eldercare issues, these issues have begun to impact the workplace and are expected to increase in the years to come. The survey explored current eldercare policies and benefits, the effect of eldercare issues on workers, as well as definitions of an elder, and views of eldercare as an employer issue. The following report provides an analysis of the results. An e-mail with the survey’s Web address was sent to 2,000 randomly selected SHRM members. Of these, 1,725 were successfully delivered to respondents, and 289 HR professionals responded, yielding a response rate of 17%. The report analyzes the results of the survey. The results are analyzed first by overall responses and then by industry and organization size... “

Caregiving: Elder

Statistic # 791

According to the 2003 Eldercare Survey conducted by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), 10% of HR professionals reported their organization offered "job sharing for eldercare reasons," while 90% of HR professionals reported their organization did not offer the benefit. (Table 1, p.3)

Society for Human Resource Management. (2003, December). 2003 Eldercare Survey. Alexandria, VA: Burke, E. M.

“In June 2003, the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) conducted a survey on eldercare. The impact of eldercare issues on the workforce is an area of growing concern for employers and HR professionals. As more people are dealing with eldercare issues, these issues have begun to impact the workplace and are expected to increase in the years to come. The survey explored current eldercare policies and benefits, the effect of eldercare issues on workers, as well as definitions of an elder, and views of eldercare as an employer issue. The following report provides an analysis of the results. An e-mail with the survey’s Web address was sent to 2,000 randomly selected SHRM members. Of these, 1,725 were successfully delivered to respondents, and 289 HR professionals responded, yielding a response rate of 17%. The report analyzes the results of the survey. The results are analyzed first by overall responses and then by industry and organization size... “

Caregiving: Elder

Statistic # 789

According to the 2003 Eldercare Survey conducted by Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), 12% of HR professionals reported their organization offered "periodic information events about eldercare issues," 82% of HR professionals reported their organization did not offer the benefit, and 6% of HR professionals reported their organization planned to offer the benefit in the next 12 months. (Table 1, p.3)

Society for Human Resource Management. (2003, December). 2003 Eldercare Survey. Alexandria, VA: Burke, E. M.

“In June 2003, the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) conducted a survey on eldercare. The impact of eldercare issues on the workforce is an area of growing concern for employers and HR professionals. As more people are dealing with eldercare issues, these issues have begun to impact the workplace and are expected to increase in the years to come. The survey explored current eldercare policies and benefits, the effect of eldercare issues on workers, as well as definitions of an elder, and views of eldercare as an employer issue. The following report provides an analysis of the results. An e-mail with the survey’s Web address was sent to 2,000 randomly selected SHRM members. Of these, 1,725 were successfully delivered to respondents, and 289 HR professionals responded, yielding a response rate of 17%. The report analyzes the results of the survey. The results are analyzed first by overall responses and then by industry and organization size... “

Caregiving: Elder

Statistic # 788

According to the 2003 Eldercare Survey conducted by Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), 13% of HR professionals reported their organization offered "legal services for eldercare issues," 85% of HR professionals reported their organization did not offer the benefit, and 1% of HR professionals reported their organization planned to offer the benefit in the next 12 months. (Table 1, p.3)




Society for Human Resource Management. (2003, December). 2003 Eldercare Survey. Alexandria, VA: Burke, E. M.

“In June 2003, the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) conducted a survey on eldercare. The impact of eldercare issues on the workforce is an area of growing concern for employers and HR professionals. As more people are dealing with eldercare issues, these issues have begun to impact the workplace and are expected to increase in the years to come. The survey explored current eldercare policies and benefits, the effect of eldercare issues on workers, as well as definitions of an elder, and views of eldercare as an employer issue. The following report provides an analysis of the results. An e-mail with the survey’s Web address was sent to 2,000 randomly selected SHRM members. Of these, 1,725 were successfully delivered to respondents, and 289 HR professionals responded, yielding a response rate of 17%. The report analyzes the results of the survey. The results are analyzed first by overall responses and then by industry and organization size... “

Caregiving: Elder

Statistic # 787

According to the 2003 Eldercare Survey conducted by Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), 13% of HR professionals reported their organization offered "employee leave sharing (employees donate leave time that can be used by others facing eldercare issues)," 85% of HR professionals reported their organization did not offer the benefit, and 1% of HR professionals reported their employer planned to offer the benefit in the next 12 months. (Table 1, p.3)




Society for Human Resource Management. (2003, December). 2003 Eldercare Survey. Alexandria, VA: Burke, E. M.

“In June 2003, the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) conducted a survey on eldercare. The impact of eldercare issues on the workforce is an area of growing concern for employers and HR professionals. As more people are dealing with eldercare issues, these issues have begun to impact the workplace and are expected to increase in the years to come. The survey explored current eldercare policies and benefits, the effect of eldercare issues on workers, as well as definitions of an elder, and views of eldercare as an employer issue. The following report provides an analysis of the results. An e-mail with the survey’s Web address was sent to 2,000 randomly selected SHRM members. Of these, 1,725 were successfully delivered to respondents, and 289 HR professionals responded, yielding a response rate of 17%. The report analyzes the results of the survey. The results are analyzed first by overall responses and then by industry and organization size... “

Caregiving: Elder

Statistic # 786

According to the 2003 Eldercare Survey conducted by Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), 13% of HR professionals reported their organization offered "brown bag lunches on eldercare issues," 13% of HR professionals reported their organization did not offer the benefit, and 4% of HR professionals reported their organization planned to offer the benefit in the next 12 months. (Table 1, p.3)




Society for Human Resource Management. (2003, December). 2003 Eldercare Survey. Alexandria, VA: Burke, E. M.

“In June 2003, the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) conducted a survey on eldercare. The impact of eldercare issues on the workforce is an area of growing concern for employers and HR professionals. As more people are dealing with eldercare issues, these issues have begun to impact the workplace and are expected to increase in the years to come. The survey explored current eldercare policies and benefits, the effect of eldercare issues on workers, as well as definitions of an elder, and views of eldercare as an employer issue. The following report provides an analysis of the results. An e-mail with the survey’s Web address was sent to 2,000 randomly selected SHRM members. Of these, 1,725 were successfully delivered to respondents, and 289 HR professionals responded, yielding a response rate of 17%. The report analyzes the results of the survey. The results are analyzed first by overall responses and then by industry and organization size... “

Caregiving: Elder

Statistic # 785

According to the 2003 Eldercare Survey conducted by Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), 16% of HR professionals reported their organization offered "long-term care insurance covering older relatives," 80% of HR professionals reported their organization did not offer the benefit, and 4% of HR professionals reported their organization planned to offer the benefit in the next 12 months. (Table 1, p.3)








Society for Human Resource Management. (2003, December). 2003 Eldercare Survey. Alexandria, VA: Burke, E. M.

“In June 2003, the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) conducted a survey on eldercare. The impact of eldercare issues on the workforce is an area of growing concern for employers and HR professionals. As more people are dealing with eldercare issues, these issues have begun to impact the workplace and are expected to increase in the years to come. The survey explored current eldercare policies and benefits, the effect of eldercare issues on workers, as well as definitions of an elder, and views of eldercare as an employer issue. The following report provides an analysis of the results. An e-mail with the survey’s Web address was sent to 2,000 randomly selected SHRM members. Of these, 1,725 were successfully delivered to respondents, and 289 HR professionals responded, yielding a response rate of 17%. The report analyzes the results of the survey. The results are analyzed first by overall responses and then by industry and organization size..."

Caregiving: Elder

Statistic # 338

According to the National Alliance for Caregiving and AARP, “older caregivers are more likely to say they have been providing care for 10 years or more compared to younger caregivers (17% of caregivers 50-64 years and 18% of caregivers 65+ v to 9% of caregivers 18-34 years). These older caregivers tend to be caring for parents and spouses.” (p.33)

National Alliance for Caregiving and AARP. (2004, April) Caregiving in the U.S. Research Report. Washington, DC: National Alliance for Caregiving and AARP. Retrieved July 15, 2005, from http://www.aarp.org/research/reference/publicopinions/aresearch-import-853.html

“The purpose of this study-a joint project of the National Alliance for Caregiving and AARP and funded by MetLife Foundation-is to update and expand knowledge about the activities caregivers say they perform, the perceived impact of caregiving on their daily lives, and the unmet needs of this population. Its findings are based on a national telephone survey of 1,247 caregivers age 18 or older, including approximately 200 African-American, 200 Hispanic, and 200 Asian-American caregivers. Interviewing was conducted from September 5 through December 22, 2003.”