Saint Anthony’s Hospice has become a thriving service to area residents as a safe and familiar option for caring for loved ones. Now, Hospice would like to go out into the community to help with hospice needs of local businesses. It’s About How You LIVE – At Work: An Employer’s Guide for Work-Life Programs and Policies is a program to help employers assist employees who may benefit from hospice and adult day services.
By request of the employer, Saint Anthony's Hospice will come on-site to each business to have a ‘lunch and learn’ for interested employees. During the half hour or full hour session, employees may learn about various topics including:
• Hospice philosophy and overview of hospice services
• Effective Communication as a Caregiver
• Symptom and/or pain management
• Spiritual Care for Those with Life Limiting Illnesses
• The Benefits of Hospice Care for Patients and Family
• Nutrition/Hydration: Choices for End of Life Care
• Hospice Care for Terminal Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias
• How to Manage the Behavioral Challenges of Dementia/Alzheimer’s Disease
• Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care/Living Will
• How Do You Know it is Time for Help?
In the workplace, end-of-life issues such as caregiving, serious illness, grief and loss, and advance care planning can have a far-reaching effect – not only on the employee, but also co-workers and the organization as a whole. With an aging work force, an increasing number of workers are actively involved in providing care for a family member.
Provided by Saint Anthony’s Hospice, It’s About How You LIVE can help employers evaluate and enhance current policies and work-life programs to ensure that organizations and employees are supported and prepared for the impact of end-of-life issues.
A recent survey from MetLIfe showed that United States businesses lose over $20 billion in productivity for full time employees with caregiving responsibilities. According to the Grief Recovery Institute, the annual cost of grief in the work place is estimated to be $75 billion.
According to the Alzheimer’s Association, over 5.1 million people are diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease; 4.9 million of them are over 65 years old. An employee at any given company could have a parent or loved one who has Alzheimer’s Disease, spending up to $152 per day on home health care. This price is more than double what a person would pay using Adult Day Services.
Saint Anthony’s Hospice program will assist employers in supporting employees with issues associated with end of life and adult day services by providing practical information, tools and resources to develop or update existing policies, benefits, and programs. The suggested policies and programs recognize the often competing responsibilities of work and family and address recruitment, retention and productivity concerns.
For information on Saint Anthony’s Hospice program, It’s About How You LIVE – At Work: An Employer’s Guide for Work-Life Programs and Policies please call 618/463-5636.