Tina Alvarez

UA Life & Work Connections can help employees with caregiving assistance regarding aging parents, as well as provide information about personal aging processes.

The Elder Care & Life Cycle Resources component was developed under Human Resource's UA Life & Work Connections as a specialized program to round out the needs of employees who find themselves caring for their aging parents, caring for their parents and children at the same time, serving as a relative caregiver for a grandchild or are concerned about personal aging processes. The program, started in 1998, provides information, referral and educational services related to these issues. Other integrated components of Life & Work Connections are Child Care and Family Resources, Employee Assistance Counseling and Consultation, Work Life Support and Worksite Wellness.

"This is a very real issue for our current and future work force. And in a compassionate and responsible way, the UA wants to offer a broad array of work/life services and resources in response to evolving demographics, family profiles and organizational needs," said Caryn S. Jung, program coordinator for Elder Care and Life Cycle Resources, Child Care and Family Resources, and Work Life Support.

"By encouraging people to familiarize themselves with resources and services before a crisis occurs, we can help individuals plan ahead thoughtfully and appropriately. As with early childhood, aging is a normal process in the life cycle."

Jung said her office can assist employees in objectively reviewing their parents' situation in terms of functionality and abilities and offer suggestions and guidelines on appropriate levels of assistance ranging from elder law to respite-care options. Jung said during a consultation, topics covered include strategies on engaging siblings and other relatives to become more involved in the caregiving process, housing issues, assisted living resources and supporting the parent in retaining and maximizing independence and dignity.

Jung refers to faculty and staff who find themselves caring for their parents and children at the same time or who serve as a relative caregiver for a grandchild as part of the "sandwich generation". She said that it is pretty common that employees come her to discuss multiple elements of caregiving at the same consultation.

"They often express appreciation that our department, and the institution is able to address the diversity of such work-life issues because of our innovative and integrated nature," she said.

On a fairly regular basis, consultation appointments and corresponding, personalized referral packets will include discussions and information, resources and supportive literature on both childcare and parenting issues as well as eldercare and aging issues for University employee families.

"I encourage individuals to contact us and take advantage of the presentations and consultations we offer to the campus community," she said. "We can give families a sense of knowledge and empowerment about the types of aging issues they may likely encounter and what local and national resources may be most useful for them," Jung said.

"Our ability to have a hybrid understanding of child development and family gerontology issues, and the ability to work closely with colleagues in the childcare profession, aging network and public and private sectors, allows us to leverage our resources and enhance our responsiveness on behalf of faculty, staff and students."

Jung holds undergraduate and graduate degrees in early childhood development and gerontology. Information on all of the services association with Life & Work Connections can be found at the UA Human Resources web site.

Elder Care & Life Cycle Resources services are available to any benefits-eligible UA employee.