Caring for a family member or a friend is becoming increasingly more common. Many people became caregivers for the first time during the pandemic. Since it altered many aspects of our lives, including how we work, some employers are considering caregiver support service programs. This post explains what caregiver support service programs are. What you need to consider before opting into one, and how to make your own support network.
What is a Caregiver Service Support Program?
While caregiver service support programs became more visible due to the pandemic, they’ve been offered by numerous major companies like CBS, Phillips, and Bank of America for a while. Caregiver support service programs add onto to existing benefits. For family leave and caregiving by bundling in other features like personal concierge services, financial guidance, and referral services. Some are free services, while others have a cost. A caregiver support service program may be beneficial for some family caregivers who need to utilize multiple services for care.
However, caregivers must understand how to organize their time and take advantage of resources around them to be an effective caregiver as well.
What to Consider When Looking at a Caregiver Service Support Program
Caregiver service support programs offer guidance with eldercare. They can also help with things like mental health referrals, financial guidance, and other services. But the question is, can the program available to you offer its services effectively? Or is it simply another app or portal that takes up time when you can be an effective caregiver for your loved one instead?
Even if the program is effective, you may not see all the resources available in your area because the concierges aren’t local, and they won’t know about various services based on reputation or word-of-mouth. So caregivers should consider whether the benefits in their service support program are beneficial as a whole.
How to Form Your Own Caregiver Service Support Program
Not every program offered by employers as part of standard or voluntary benefits will work for every family. If the existing program offered doesn’t offer the type of resources you need, find your own. Look into aging care managers, existing time-off options, flexible work schedules, and creating your own community of care are all options. Your local community is often rich with information and resources because other people have had to care for loved ones and are usually willing to share resources and available options.
One resource family caregivers don’t take advantage enough of is professional care at home. At Optimal Senior Care Solutions, we offer personal care, homemaking service, and specialty care that meets a loved one and family member’s needs in our local community of Newport Beach, CA. To learn more about how to obtain services, reach out to us today.
