The Ultimate One-Call Solution

CLEVELAND, OH – Quality Care Options announces a revolutionary employee benefit that enables employers to be more competitive while saving expenses associated with caring for an employee’s elderly parent. Quality Care Options (QCO) is the first and only organization to offer access to elder care services that have a 90% or higher customer satisfaction rating, derived from the industry’s’ first independent customer-driven survey process.

A recent study from AT&T showed that 28 percent of their workforce provides and coordinates elder care to their aging parents. The annual costs associated with this phenomenon, is estimated to be $1142 per employee due to absenteeism, workday interruptions, eldercare crises and additional supervisor costs.

AT&T found that every elder care crisis caused an initial absenteeism of four to seven days with additional absenteeism throughout the crisis. Barbara Mascio, Founder and President of QCO says, “We find that clients typically miss less than one day due to the services we supply. They are less distracted at work and are comforted knowing that we take the time to listen, and have the expertise to connect these families to the most appropriate services, based on the individual’s needs, desires, geographical area and of course, budget. Our QCO Employee Benefit Solution offers relief to both the employee and employer for less than one percent of the cost that AT&T has estimated.”

The number of employers offering elder-care benefits has soared from 20% in 1990 to nearly 50% in 1999, according to a poll by benefit consultants Hewitt Associates. Once reason for the growth: More than 80% of workers caring for an older relative say they have had to adjust their schedules – working fewer hours, for example, or quitting their job – based on a report by Metropolitan Life Insurance.

“It was such a relief to speak with the liaison at QCO. I honestly didn’t know where to start when my mother was released from the hospital after cancer treatment. I had envisioned the need to take family leave and even to retire early,” says Ruth D., a writer for a national greeting card company located in Cleveland Ohio.

The QCO

The Employee Benefit Option is a ‘One-Call-Solution’ for those who seek a nationwide resource to service their parents, grandparents, spouse, sibling, life partner, friend neighbor or any other loved one. Areas of current support include medical and non medical home care, caregiver support, nursing homes, rehab facilities, assisted living facilities, financial planning, LTC health insurance, Alzheimer’s services and facilities, memorial planning, medical equipment, counseling, elder law attorneys and handyman services.

The QCO Employee Benefit Solution offers employers an added employee benefit which reduces the costs associated with the distraction of employees caring for their loved ones while also offering a competitive advantage when recruiting and retaining those employees. For additional information, please go to http://www.qualityeldercare.com/employeebenefits.html or contact John Kearney at 440-476-0026 or via email at jkearney.

Fast Facts:
U.S. Businesses lose anywhere for $11 billion to $29 billion a year to both formal and informal adjustments to work schedules, based on a report by Metropolitan Life Insurance.

Informal adjustments to work schedules by employees due to Caregiving:
84% made phone calls
69% arrived late/left early
67% took time off during the day
29% made up work on evenings and weekends

Formal adjustments:
64% used sick days or vacation time
33% decreased hours
22% took leave of absence
20% full to part time
16% quit job
13% retired early

Source: Metlife
Permission to reprint provide entire article including contact information is included.

National Director of the Work/Life Benefit Program with Quality Care Options, L.L.C. Contact jkearney@qualitycareoptions.com