We are dedicated to providing our members with essential support to help manage their work-life challenges so they can live engaged, productive lives and get the most out of every day. Here’s just a sample of the feedback we’ve received from members this month.
As we all grapple with the COVID-19 crisis, employees are facing new and numbered challenges. Approximately 95% of Americans have been ordered to stay home and U.S. public and private school closures skyrocketed, impacting at least 124,000 schools nationwide and affecting at least 55.1 million students.
Add to that, employees are facing various care disruptions spanning across children, elderly loved ones and even pets. All while having to manage their work, family responsibilities and caregiving challenges. Since data shows aging loved ones are more at risk, employers are trying to educate and support their employees more with corresponding solutions. Including many other wide-ranging challenges, these are certainly extraordinary times.
Finding solutions for these arising situations can be tough as employees are being forced to create a “new normal.” Now more than ever, offering a Work-Life program to support employees is a key resource to help them navigate their responsibilities and challenges during this time. While a lot is changing, this support is a constant that employees can rely on.
With our requests reaching unprecedented volumes, we’re seeing firsthand what many of the needs are during these trying times. While each member’s situation is unique, here’s just a small sample of some of the requests our members have reached out with and how we’re helping them.
Real Employee Requests
1. A member’s daycare closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but the member’s an essential worker and needed to find reliable care. She called LifeCare looking to use her backup care benefit. After collecting information about the days, times and daycare location, the LifeCare specialist was able to secure backup care for all the days needed, meeting all the employees’ specifications, so she could get to work.
2. As her children’s school closed, a member called in for assistance with locating an in-home caregiver for her children. She did not have access to a backup care program but needed to arrange full-time care for at least several weeks. The LifeCare specialist started by determining the hours of care needed, budget preferences and any special needs the children might have. We were able to refer an in-home agency in the member’s area that had available caregivers who were within the member’s budget.
3. Due to the current situation, a member was unable to personally check in on her elderly parents, so she called in for assistance locating a caregiver. The family resides in one of the areas heavily affected by the COVID-19 virus so locating services was challenging. The LifeCare specialist gathered the hours of care needed per week and the level of assistance both parents required. In less than 24 hours, we were able to provide a referral to a Home Health Agency that could provide a caregiver.
4. A member called in for assistance with locating COVID-19 social distancing information for his staff. We were able to provide a variety of resources for them, including step-by-step instructions on how to access the most up to date COVID-19 information. The LifeCare specialist also highlighted the different resources and support we’re able to offer each individual staff member, should they need.
5. After a member was laid off as a result of a non-essential business temporarily closing, she called in for assistance with locating financial resources. She had questions regarding unemployment and what assistance was available to help her get through this difficult time. We were able to provide a variety of resources to her, including information on financial hardship organizations and information on the unemployment office in the member’s state.
6. A member called for assistance locating adult care resources. Both elderly parents recently underwent surgery and the family needed to locate a rehabilitation facility for one parent and a home health aide for the other parent. The specialist began by gathering information on the needs of both parents to determine budget and care preferences. We then provided a variety of referrals for both in-home and rehab facility care. The referrals detailed contact information, office hours, care offered, services provided, fees and next steps for arranging care.
7. While he understood there might not be any in-person options during this time, a member called in for assistance locating prenatal resources for his wife, including Lamaze and hypno-birthing classes. We were able to locate several online options for them, along with detailed contact information, classes offered, fees, program days, hours and next steps for enrolling in a class.
As you can tell from just these handful of stories, our workforce is being challenged in ways we’ve never seen. While we can’t completely do away with our members’ struggles surrounding coronavirus, we’re glad we can help wherever we can.
To learn more about programs that support your employees we’re here to help. Contact us here or call us at (866) 675-3751.
Leila has over eight years of experience working with children and families in both non-profit and corporate settings. She earned her Bachelor of Liberal Arts degree in the Humanities with a minor in English from Fairfield University.
After leading a volunteer program for a local non-profit daycare in college, she went on to work in an established center as an early childhood educator for four years before transitioning to an early intervention position where she provided in-home Birth to Three services to children on the autism spectrum. She joined the LifeCare team as a Parenting and Education Researcher which has allowed her to provide a wide range of support services and resources to families in need.
Leila currently resides in Black Rock, CT with her boyfriend Taylor. In her free time she enjoys camping, photography, craft beer festivals, and searching for local flea markets and farmers markets.
Q: How do you approach research?
A: I start off my research process by reading through the case and writing down the key points, goals and specifics that are important to the member.
Q: Why is finding the right matches for members so important?
A: It’s so rewarding to provide a member with a variety of providers that offer services that match their family’s needs. Finding the right match means providing a sense of relief and peace of mind for our members.
Q: What is your goal for each case?
A: My goal for each case is to provide the member with thorough information specific to resources and providers in their area that can support their and their family’s needs.
Q: What are some memorable cases you’ve worked on?
A: I’ve had some really heart-wrenching cases involving infants and new parents facing medical issues and/or financial difficulties. I am always eager to provide these members with as many resources as possible, often times searching for local community support services that can provide emotional, mental and educational support in addition to the standard providers required to fulfill the case.
One case in particular that I’ll never forget involved a little four-year-old boy who was battling liver cancer and was in need of a liver donor. I was able to find resources that would support the boy’s parents in spreading their son’s story so that they could get it out there to more people in hopes that it would inspire someone to volunteer as a donor.
Q: What is the best part of your job?
A: I’m able to come to work every day knowing that I have the opportunity to provide support and resources to families all around the country. I have learned so much about educational services, family resources and school options and the vast difference that 100 miles can make in cost, availability and general services.
Q: How do you work with your team as a whole?
A: The Parenting and Education team is constantly communicating, sharing ideas, providing advice based on our own experiences with previous cases or in our own lives. Each member of our team comes from a unique background with their own experiences and specialties and we are always happy to share our expertise and ideas to help to support each other.
Q: What advice would you give to someone who doesn’t know if LifeCare can help them?
A: Let us try. Even if a member is unsure of exactly what they are looking for, I would encourage them to share their story with us and let us try to find them some helpful resources. Often times with child care, new parents are unsure of the style of child care that they want to invest in. This is a perfect example of us having the opportunity to educate a member and share insight on the different options that they have in hopes of making the decision process a bit simpler.
Q: In your opinion, what makes your role/team so special?
A: As a Parenting and Education Researcher I am constantly collecting invaluable information and insight that allows me to not only better serve our members, but also informs my own decision making for my future.
Stay tuned every month for a new feature on our industry-leading, talented team of employees. If you’d like to learn more about how we can support your employees, contact us here or call us at (866) 675-3751.
April is National Stress Awareness month and, according to the American Institute of Stress, workplace stress is on the rise, noting juggling work and personal responsibilities as one of the main causes. Add to that the unique stresses of the current COVID-19 crisis, and it’s never been more important that employers offer benefits that can help their employees reduce stress.
In fact, an AIS report showed that 80% of workers feel stress on the job, nearly half say they need help in learning how to manage stress and 42% say their coworkers need such help.
A Mental Health America survey found that workplace stress also contributes to higher rates of absenteeism. They found that 33% of respondents said they miss work because of stress. Furthermore, the American Psychological Association states that job stress costs U.S. industry more than $300 billion a year in absenteeism, turnover, diminished productivity, and medical, legal and insurance costs.
Considering the impact your workforce’s stress has, now is a great time to promote or implement employee support programs that will help them identify, reflect on and learn to manage the stress in their life. Here are some programs to consider:
Emotional Health Support & Information
As employee stress is escalating, as also noted by a Korn Ferry survey that nearly two-thirds of professionals say their stress levels at work are higher than they were five years ago, employers can counteract stress levels by offering Employee Assistance Programs to provide access to confidential counseling for both the employee and their household members. These programs typically offer both in person, telephonic or video sessions. It’s also imperative to share emotional health resources and information to help employees recognize and reduce unnecessary stress.
Financial Wellness Guidance
According to the American Psychological Association money is the top cause of stress in the United States and their recent Stress in America survey found that 72% of Americans reported feeling stressed about money. With finances being the number one stressor, now more than ever it’s vital that employees receive the financial guidance that can help them improve their financial literacy and wellness so they can reach both short and long term financial goals.
Work-Life Support
As today’s employees are managing more and more personal and professional responsibilities, often doing more and having less time to spare, top employers are implementing Work-Life programs to help them manage their needs. From finding reliable child or senior care, to locating local home improvement pros, wellness resources, pet care and more, these services save employees, time, money and stress by doing time consuming research and providing employees with the prescreened solutions they need, when they need them. They also provide access to informative educational materials and events on a variety of helpful topics.
Backup Care
When employees’ regular care routines are disrupted due to school closings, inclement weather, caregiver illness or any other reason, they can be left stressed and scrambling to find care so they can get to work. If they can’t find reliable care, they’ll often have to miss work, or attend work unable to focus. Offering company subsidized backup care is crucial in the face of these disruptions so employees can continue to focus on their day-to-day responsibilities and remain productive, stress free.
With the help of these programs, you can take ongoing measures to identify the causes and impacts of stress in your workplace. Additionally, as employees’ stress levels continue to rise, especially right now during the coronavirus pandemic, companies that create less stressful workplaces will surely have an advantage in optimizing the productivity of their workforce and attracting and retaining top talent.
If you’d like to learn more about how you can help reduce employee stress, our how we’re supporting our clients and their employees impacted by COVID-19, contact us or call us at 866-675-3751.
We are dedicated to providing our members with essential support to help manage their work-life challenges so they can live engaged, productive lives and get the most out of every day. Here’s just a sample of the feedback we’ve received from members this month.
As many organizations and their employees are faced with disruptions and uncertainty while the coronavirus pandemic evolves, it can be hard to know what steps to take.
It’s important to rely on or implement support programs that are designed to help both your company and your workforce to navigate these unprecedented circumstances and the new challenges that come with them.
Here are some programs that can help improve morale, keep your workforce working and support them and their families during this time.
While employers can’t completely do away with their employee’s challenges or fears surrounding coronavirus, they can offer the best support possible. While the realities of the present are quickly changing, it’s a comfort to know that there are things you’ve already implemented or can easily implement to help your employees during these turbulent times.
To learn more about programs that support your employees we’re here to help. Contact us here or call us at (866) 675-3751.
Samantha earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications and her Master of Business Administration degree with a concentration in Management from the University of Bridgeport. She started temping with LifeCare and decided to apply for a permanent position because she loves helping people. She started out on the Daily Needs team and transitioned to Financial Hardship. Samantha enjoys all things Harry Potter, horror movies and taking the family dog out to play – pretty much all of the time.
Q: How do you approach research?
A: I approach research differently every time because each case is so unique. There are a few key factors that never change for me. These include dissecting the case before researching, trying to start with a source that will be all encompassing if the member has several needs and always asking for help from my team if I am stuck for too long.
Q: Why is finding the right match for the members so important?
A: For me, it’s important to find a right match for the member because I don’t want them to walk away feeling like they have to do more work. This is also important to me because in some cases, members are living in their car in Florida on a hot summer day – so finding them shelter means the world to me.
Q: What is your goal for each case?
A: My goal for each case is to find a solution for the member that meets their needs, to ensure the member doesn’t walk away feeling more overwhelmed after the case is closed and educating the member to the best of my ability.
Q: What are some memorable cases you’ve worked on?
A: A case that I’ll never forget was an ASAP I took for a member who had a son that was expected to get out of rehab in a few days. The member didn’t know how she was going to get her son to and from his outpatient program without having to take substantial amounts of time off from work. Her son couldn’t take public transportation as a result of his recent diagnosis. She came to LifeCare to help her find low cost transportation for her son, to and from his treatment.
Q: What is the best part of your job?
A: The best part of my job is when I’ve been searching for resources for a member for what seems like forever and then at the 11th hour, I finally find a resource that I think is going to be a great match. I also have to say that the other best part of my job is the people I work with.
Q: How do you work with your team as a whole?
A: I’d say I work with my team extremely well. I love to help others and my team loves to help out as well, so it’s a great match. We get each other through tough days.
Q: What advice would you give to someone who doesn’t know if LifeCare can help them?
A: I’d tell the individual to trust in us because we have several teams with different niches, so you’d be surprised at what we can find.
Q: In your opinion, what makes your role/team so special?
A: In my opinion, the Financial Hardship Team is special because at times it would appear that we are their last hope and to be a part of helping that person or family is beyond humbling, as well as rewarding.
Stay tuned every month for a new feature on our industry-leading, talented team of employees. If you’d like to learn more about how we can support your employees, contact us here or call us at (866) 675-3751.
If you’d like to learn more about our high-impact services or how LifeCare can create a custom program for your organization’s unique needs, contact us here or call us at (866) 675-3751.
We are dedicated to providing our members with essential support to help manage their work-life challenges so they can live engaged, productive lives and get the most out of every day. Here’s just a sample of the feedback we’ve received from members this month.
Tania has over 10 years of child care experience, working with families and children of all ages. She started off as a counselor’s aide and worked her way up to the position of site director for a before and after school program. Tania received her associates degree in Human Services and knew from a very young age that her purpose was to help people in need, just like she knew from her very first day at LifeCare that working as a backup care specialist was where she belonged. She currently lives in Shelton, CT and her hobbies include practicing massage therapy, finding new trails to hike, being with family and trying new foods.
Q: When a member calls, what is the first thing you ask?
A: I start by thanking the member for contacting LifeCare and then ask them how I can help with their backup care needs.
Q: How do you approach each call?
A: I approach each call with understanding and trying to sympathize with the situation they’re going through. I also focus on being a good listener and assure them that they are in good hands.
Q: What is your goal for each case?
A: My goal is to make sure each member is happy they called us, to make sure they know we are here for them in a potentially stressful time and that we are working diligently to get them the solution that they need.
Q: What are some memorable cases you’ve worked on?
A: The most memorable cases for me are when a member calls and when they fully understand what we do, they’re shocked and so thankful for the support. When they request care and we’re able to help them, some members are in disbelief. I’ve had members say how amazing we are and hearing them be so ecstatic over the phone, I can’t help but smile and get excited with them.
Q: What is the best part of your job?
A: Helping members when situations are tough and knowing I’m responsible for some of their stress relief.
Q: How do you connect with the members you help?
A: I like to speak to the member in a friendly, professional way.
Q: What advice would you give to someone who doesn’t know if LifeCare can help them?
A: I’d say that each team is equipped with specialists and researchers who are dedicated and knowledgeable and that our teams are capable of helping anyone in any situation no matter how unique.
Q: In your opinion, what makes your role/team so special?
A: My role is very special because needing backup care can be sudden and unexpected. Children wake up sick, babysitters call out, child care and life in general is just full of surprises. That’s when our backup care specialists are there. We try to make a stressful situation into a non-stressful one. When there is a bump in the road, we want to make sure our members can focus on the important things that they need to do. Making children happy and making parents happy is what’s important to us. That is why backup care is so special!