Conference on Caregiving and the Workplace
Contact: Anne Littlejohn at (207) 622-7557 x.231
Elder Caregiving in Maine: Where We Are and Where We Need to be Going,” a first-of-its-kind conference about elder caregiving and the workplace in Northern New England, will be held on January 29 and 30, 2004, at the Sheraton Hotel, South Portland, Maine.
Governor John Baldacci will speak at the conference to present AARP’s latest findings regarding caregivers on the job and how it impacts Maine’s businesses. Also speaking will be Dana Connors, president of Maine State Chamber of Commerce. Representatives from the National Administration on Aging will also be in attendance.
New statistics show that nearly four out of 10 people surveyed in Maine have provided unpaid caregiving to an adult family member or other individual. Among these respondents 43 percent said they make or receive phone calls during work hours regarding caregiving issues. Thirty percent said arriving late, leaving work early, and taking extended lunch hours was common.
The ramifications for Maine businesses can be a potential loss of up to $168 million a year due to caregiving.
The Elder Caregiving Conference will provide resources to help employers and employees with the cost and stresses of caregiving. Unfortunately, many of these individuals are unaware of these services.
The conference is designed for business leaders, human resource and health care professionals concerned about the effects of elder caregiving on Maine’s employees.
The conference is being organized by the Maine’s Caregiving Alliance, composed of the Maine Primary Partners in Caregiving Project (MPPC), Eastern Agency on Aging, UMaine Center on Aging, Maine Bureau of Elder and Adult Services, AARP Maine, Maine Alzheimer’s Association, Medical Care Development, Inc., Affiliated Healthcare Systems/Employee Assistance Program, Center for Productive Aging, and Maine Health’s Partnership for Health Aging. The Alliance is dedicated to educating and mobilizing health and human service providers and corporate and small business employers on the critical issues associated with families caring for their elders.
To register for Elder Caregiving in Maine: Where we are and where we need to be going or receive more information about the program, contact Anne Littlejohn, Medical Care Development, Inc., at (207) 622-7557 x.231 or by e-mail at littlejo@mcd.org.