For years, child care has dominated conversations about family benefits. But as the workforce ages and life expectancy climbs, another urgent need is rising to the surface: senior care.
For many employees, caring for an aging parent is a second, invisible job layered on top of their paid role. Doctor’s appointments, medication schedules, coordinating assisted living, or simply being present for a parent’s changing needs can add up to hours each week. What’s more, senior care often comes with little planning or predictability.
As we recognize National Assisted Living Week (September 7-13) coming up, it’s not only an opportunity to celebrate seniors and the spaces just for them; it’s also a chance to spotlight the employees who are quietly shouldering a caregiving responsibility. Supporting them is a way for employers to stand apart in today’s competitive talent market.
The workforce reality: Senior care is a growing need
The numbers are sobering:
- About a quarter of U.S. adults (23%) has a parent aged 65 or older.
- Employees providing senior care spend an average of 22 hours per week caring for an older relative; the equivalent of a part-time job.
- Half of working caregivers say they have made work-related scheduling changes due to caregiving responsibilities, including going into work early, leaving late, or taking time off.
That extra workload shows up at work in very real ways: turning down promotions to keep schedules manageable, increased absenteeism, and presenteeism when employees are physically present but distracted by urgent caregiving tasks.
And then there’s the financial pressure. Between assisted living costs (averaging $5,190 per month in the U.S.), home modifications, and transportation, senior care is a serious financial strain. Senior caregivers are twice as likely to report money stress compared to peers without caregiving duties.
The business impact
Caregiving isn’t just a personal issue. Consider the ripple effects on work:
- Absenteeism: Employees miss work for appointments or emergencies.
- Presenteeism: They’re at work, but distracted or exhausted.
- Turnover: Nearly 1 in 5 caregivers has left a job because it lacked adequate family care benefits.
- Career stagnation: Caregivers are more likely to decline promotions or growth opportunities, limiting the company’s leadership pipeline.
Left unaddressed, senior care stress translates into disengagement, burnout, and higher replacement costs for employers.
Why senior care benefits are a differentiator
Caregiving responsibilities are often invisible. Fewer than half of employees caring for an aging parent share that reality with their manager. That silence creates risk: employers don’t know the true scope of caregiving in their workforce until it shows up in lost productivity or turnover.
When companies step in with real support, it sends a powerful culture signal: we see you, and we’ve got your back. That builds loyalty, strengthens employer branding, and positions the organization as an employer of choice.
In other words, senior care is a strategic lever for retention and engagement.
What senior care benefits look like in practice
Forward-looking companies are already investing in solutions that reduce stress, lower absenteeism, and keep employees engaged. Here are a few examples:
- Backup senior care: Reliable care options when regular arrangements fall through.
- Concierge-style care experts: Guidance to navigate Medicare, assisted living, home care, or memory care options.
- Flexible scheduling: Adjusted hours or hybrid options that help employees attend doctor’s appointments or handle emergencies.
- Financial tools: Care spending accounts to offset the cost of senior care and reduce financial strain.
- Care networks: Access to vetted, reviewed providers so employees don’t waste hours searching on their own.
Each of these benefits lightens the load for employees … and protects employers from the costs of disengagement and turnover.
The competitive advantage
Senior care is where child care was a decade ago: under-discussed but rapidly becoming a defining workplace issue. With unprecedented growth of the population ages 65 and older, the pressure on families (and by extension, employers) will only grow.
Leaders that add senior care to their benefits strategy today will stand out as compassionate, competitive employers tomorrow.
Get in touch if you’re interested in hearing specifics about how senior care benefits could impact your organization.
