Wellthy’s Post

To study caregiving responsibilities among employees and support from employers, Guardian Life conducted a survey of 2,000 employees and 2,000 employers. Jennifer Andrews, Head of Equity and Inclusion at Guardian, provides three takeaways from the company's subsequent report: 1. About 70% employees have some level of caregiving responsibilities. 2. There's a stigma around the word "caregiver" 3. Caregivers are more likely to have negative impacts on their physical, financial, and mental well-being. Andrews joined Ellen Ernst Kossek (Purdue University Daniels School of Business) in a conversation hosted by The Wharton School management professor Stephanie Creary to discuss how companies can craft more supportive policies for caregivers who are struggling to balance their responsibilities at work and home: https://whr.tn/3zfEUIK #inclusion #worklifebalance #parents #caregiving

What does your Diversity, Inclusion, and Equity focus on? Let's get into a broader mindset. Black and Hispanic households spend 47% and 33% of their income on caregiving-related expenses, compared to 18% for White households.   Thirty percent of full-time employees who quit or reduced hours to help loved ones from underrepresented groups. 🤷♀️ Can you afford $10.00 per employee per month with access to 1,000 resources including orientation programs for the entire family? Of course, you can! 💫 Yes, I am a crazy and passionate innovator. I am a caregiver, I work, and know what it means to individuals and workforce retention. The wellness, work, and care collision is now impacting 50% of every workforce Change your mindset. This is 2024, not 1970. Families work and no one is home to be a family "caregiver." 🙄 #workforceretention #employeedevelopment #chro #ceo #cfo #caregiving #worklifebalance #worklifeintegration #employeewellness #employeestress

So many great insights from our session with Northcott disability support workers and service coordinators and the team from Northcott Innovation. We talked about how best to use A Good Life to provide as much value as possible to the people they support and the teams they work in. Here are a few of their observations: ➡️ Support needs are ongoing, but support relationships often aren’t — People with complex care needs require support over years or decades, but staffing challenges and high turnover in the sector mean that rich knowledge about each person’s support is often lost. A Good Life can work with other tools to track and inform how support is provided over time, making these transitions smoother and helping staff to provide consistent and focused care. ➡️ Support is dynamic. People’s needs and preferences change over time and in different contexts — A Good Life shows support workers how these needs are shifting, helping them to adapt and provide quality care in every situation. ➡️ Support can involve helping people to express themselves — For people who are non-verbal or who don’t have a practical understanding of concepts like choice or control, it can be challenging to express their desires and concerns or how they like to do things. In these cases, it typically falls to support teams to identify and communicate preferences. A Good Life makes this process more transparent and reflects the subjective nature of concepts like enjoyment or risk. ➡️ Support needs change through life — Support needs can subtly and gradually change as people age, when they experience conditions like dementia, or at the end of their lives. A Good Life helps support teams to identify, anticipate and respond to life changes like these. A huge thanks to Nartarn, Maria, Bernard, Mitul, Evelyn, Kat and Madeleine for your insights and perspectives! 🙌 The deep and ongoing relationships between designers and context experts is at the core of what makes A Good Life such an amazing project. For an overview of A Good Life, check out this short video: https://lnkd.in/g5tuBS7x #DisabilitySupport #InclusiveDesign

As leaders and members in learning disability care, we understand that resilience isn't just a trait—it's a necessity. 💪 In this line of work, the ability to bounce back swiftly from challenges isn't just admirable; it's indispensable. Resilience allows care staff members to adapt to the ever-changing needs of our service users, ensuring continuity and stability in care provision. ✅ Amidst the strains of a cost-of-living crisis and the challenges posed by the pandemic (yes- even years later), resilience is our shield against burnout and exhaustion. It's what enables members of your care staff to navigate through constant changes and uncertainties with grace and determination. Without resilience, the quality of care we provide would be compromised, and the well-being of our service users could be at risk. 😰 That's why nurturing resilience within our workforce isn't just a priority—it's a fundamental aspect of our commitment to outstanding care. Let's stand together, support each other, and cultivate resilience as we continue to empower and uplift those we serve. 💛 📝 Come back tomorrow as we share tips on how exactly to build resilience among your care staff. Follow us @hrdconsultancy to see it first! #disabilitycare #carehomes #careservices #learningdisabilities #carers

🛠️ Enhancing Participant Care with Simple, Practical Solutions 🛠️ Working in Specialist Disability Support has taught me that the simplest changes often make the most significant impact. Whether it’s a new sensory room setup, better communication tools for clients, or tweaking our daily support plans, it’s about focusing on best practices that put the client at the centre of everything we do. Recently, I’ve been working on a few initiatives that focus on person-centred active support, such as: • Creating a sensory room on a budget to offer clients a calming, engaging environment. • Rolling out a one-page profile for clients to ensure every staff member is on the same page about individual needs and preferences. • Implementing a ‘coffee bar’ strategy, giving clients a dedicated space to take a break and reset when they feel overwhelmed — it’s been a game-changer in reducing escalations and building trust. In my experience, small, thoughtful changes like these can transform client experiences and boost team morale. 💬 I’d love to hear from others in the sector: What small changes have you implemented that made a big difference? Share your ideas, tips, or challenges — let’s learn from each other and continue driving best practices in disability support together. 🤝 If you’re passionate about making a positive impact in disability support, let’s connect and keep the conversation going! #NDIS #DisabilitySupport #BestPractices #ClientCare #PersonCenteredCare #HealthcareInnovation#activesupport

In navigating the complexities of Social Security benefits and employment for individuals with disabilities, the road can often seem challenging. As a parent, you want to see your child thrive in meaningful employment while ensuring they maintain the vital benefits they rely on for independence. While the impact on benefits can be daunting, there are avenues worth exploring.

#Caregiving is a cornerstone of the #Disability community, yet too often, caregivers go unsupported in the workplace. November marks National Family Caregivers Month in the US, and to honor the month, we gathered our community of Disability:IN Corporate Partners want to highlight the challenges and lived experiences of caregivers balancing full-time careers. During the webinar, we celebrated caregiver stories, spotlighted their experiences, and shared supporting caregiver resources. Thank you to the session moderator, Justin McNeeley CFP®, CEP, ChSNC, CSM (of Fidelity Investments) for leading this important conversation and to the panelists, Debbie Haussler (of U.S. Bank), Lisa Morganstern Bickel (of Honeywell), and Norris L Roberts Jr. CISA, CISM, Ed.D. (of Boeing) for sharing their stories. A few takeaways from the conversation included: + Caregivers face an emotional toll in addition to the complex challenges and barriers of navigating healthcare systems, working with insurance institutions, and managing the needs of their loved ones. + Caregivers can benefit from support systems to listen, offer help, and provide feedback when necessary. This can take the form of a support group with friends or supported by a company's disability-focused E/BRG. + Caregiving doesn't stop at chronic illnesses or disability; caregiving can extend to children and even self-care. When caregivers care for themselves, they can provide better care to their families. Join future webinars by becoming a Disability:IN Corporate Partner! Start your journey at https://lnkd.in/eSahAeG or contact Mackenzie Ward (Mackenzie@DisabilityIN.org). #DisabilityInclusion [ID: Blue background with decorative green lines behind white text, Fostering Supportive Workplace Cultures for Disability Caregivers, above an animated screen with Debbie Haussler, Norris Roberts, Justin Mcneeley, and Lisa Bickel, and ASL interpreter Shelley Engstrom-Kestel. At the bottom right is a white Disability:IN icon logo. They all wear casual clothes and connect virtually from home offices using digital or blurred backgrounds.]

Did you know that nearly 2 million U.S. children are battling serious disabilities or illnesses? ⛔ This reality requires caregivers, often mothers, to spend around 53 hours each week on care duties, with a staggering 73% needing to adjust their work schedules or even quit their jobs. I had the pleasure of discussing Juno Child Disability Protection with Hall Kesmodel—an innovative program providing life-balancing support for caregivers. 🚸 Here is a solution that not only promotes inclusion but also provides essential protections for families facing unexpected challenges with their children’s health. 🚸 An inclusive culture, flexible work policies, community engagement, knowledge empowerment, mental fitness, and essential financial safeguards during critical times can transform not only employees and their families but also foster sustainable corporate environments ▶ building best places to work. 🖐 What steps can other employers take to implement this level of support? - - - #leadership #walkthetalk #protection #disability #familybuilding #employeebenefits #mentalfitness #mentalhealth #caregivers - - - Disability:IN, World Economic Forum, Global Disability Inclusion, LLC, CEO Commission for Disability Employment, Fast Company, Global Good Awards, ILO Global Business and Disability Network, The Nicholas Center, Special Olympics, Laura Moore, National Council on Disability, Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund (DREDF), Bright Horizons, International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans (IFEBP), Employee Benefit News, American Benefits Council, Business Group on Health

𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗴..... 𝗞𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗕𝗿𝗼𝘄𝗻! 👋 Another of our amazing Disability Advisors! "I joined Medigold as a Disability Advisor at the end of July 2024. I love meeting interesting people, visiting different sites and playing a part in helping employees thrive in their work, no matter what health and disability challenges they may face. 👏 I’ve always worked in the third sector, and I’m passionate about creating space for everyone's voice to be heard and respected. This role gives me the opportunity to ensure that happens within assessments, so each person can think and respond in a way they may never have felt able to before. That creates openness and honesty, and when everyone is on the same page, we can put the right support in place. 🙌 𝗙𝘂𝗻 𝗳𝗮𝗰𝘁: In 2011, I cycled 240 miles through Jordan. 🚴♀️ One night, we stayed in the Dana Nature Reserve with a Bedouin community. In the morning, one of their baby camels took great delight in popping its head in through the bathroom window when any of us took a shower! 🐫 𝗧𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗸𝘀, 𝗞𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗲! 𝗜𝘁'𝘀 𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗮𝗺𝗮𝘇𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗱𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲𝘀! 🤩 #EmployeeSpotlight #EmployeeAppreciation #EmployeeRecognition #Employee #EmployeeHighlight #MeetTheTeam #WorkplaceCulture #OccupationalHealth #WorkplaceWellness #SafetyAtWork #EmployeeSafety #CorporateWellbeing #HealthAndSafety #SafetyCulture #RiskManagement #HealthyWorkplace #WorkplaceSafety #OccupationalSafety #EmployeeWellbeing #HealthAndWellbeing #MentalHealth #MentalHealthAwareness #HealthAwareness #Wellbeing