Caring for a Parent or Relative

Are you a caregiver for a parent or older relative? If so, you are not alone. In the United States, more than 42% of all working adults provide care for aging family members. Caregiver responsibilities may include:

• personal care needs
• financial assistance in paying bills or banking
• household support such as shopping, cooking, and cleaning
• transportation needs

The Work/Life Program can assist you in investigating whether a flexible work arrangement may be an option for you. Flexible work arrangements may provide support and ease the demands of full-time elder caregiving.

If you need help coping with the emotional demands of caregiving, the Employee Assistance Program offers counseling services for employees and their family members.

Finding Elder Care

University of Minnesota employees can get help finding elder care from Career/Life Alliance Services (CLAS), a free resource and referral information service. CLAS can help you with your elder care search by providing information on:

• Adult day programs
• Companion visiting
• Home health care
• Senior housing
• Support groups
• Chore and transportation services
• Nursing homes
• Guidance topics

Career/Life Alliance Services can be reached 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, by calling 952-894-0727 or 800-736-6416, or visit the CLAS Web site (if prompted, the login is "university" and password is "minnesota").

Paying for Elder Care

Dependent Day Care Flexible Spending Account offers pre-tax savings for elder care services. You may be able to take advantage of this program if your elderly parent or relative:

• is claimed as a tax exemption on your federal income tax return because they are physically or mentally unable to care for themselves.
• regularly spends at least eight hours per day in your household

Long-term Care Coverage is a plan that pays for services not covered by other types of insurance. Long-term care services can range from help with meal preparation and personal assistance to 24-hour monitored care. Long-term care can take place in a variety of settings including nursing centers, assisted living facility, or your own home.

Employees, employee spouses/same-sex domestic partners, or parents or step-parents of employees may eligible for long-term care coverage. Each person buys his or her own policy and premiums are based on the enrollee's age, not on the age of the employee.