A new report from the MIT Workplace Center at the Sloan School of Management in Cambridge, MA, presents a comprehensive, specific set of recommendations for state-level public policy to improve the quality of life of family caregivers. These recommendations grew out of a three-year research project and the expertise of many elder care and health care professionals.

Entitled "Caring for the Caregivers: Improving Resources for Elder Caregivers in Massachusetts," the report opens with a section on Public Awareness and Helping Families Care for Elders. It includes specific recommended actions grouped under the following ten headings:

1. Make elder care and caregiver support a public priority
2. Build stronger connections between healthcare, elder services and families
3. Expand caregiver support resources
4. Emphasize wellness for caregivers
5. Train and certify a geriatric care workforce
6. Create more transportation options for elders
7. Encourage employers to expand workplace supports
8. Improve conditions of employment for paid caregivers
9. Utilize information technology to help elders and caregivers
10. Make Massachusetts a model for supporting caregivers at work

Recommendation #7: Encourage employers to expand workplace supports

"There are many things that employers can do to expand their support of employees with elder care responsibilities. These include strengthening Employee Assistance Programs and support groups, offering geriatric case management services to employees, providing flexible work arrangements to allow caregivers to take time off during the workday to accompany elders to doctor's appointments or respond to emergencies, and ensuring that all employees have paid sick days so they can care for their own health issues.

"In addition, caregivers who are self-employed have particular needs. While they may have considerable flexibility in their schedules, they do not have access to paid sick days or other kinds of standard employee benefits, and they are not covered under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), so support programs recognizing their situation are needed."

Recommendation #10: Make Massachusetts a model for supporting caregivers at work

"State government has a special role to play in making Massachusetts a model for supporting caregivers who are employed. First, as an employer, the state can model support for elder caregivers in their own policies and practices. Whether it is a good referral program for state employees looking for elder care services, or the availability of part-time positions and job sharing arrangements, the Commonwealth can show other employers the benefits of these policies to productivity, recruitment, and retention.

"Second, the Governor could recognize private sector employers who do have model caregiver support programs. This could be done through tax incentives, or by publicizing the best practices of employers who have shown leadership in this area and encouraging other employers to follow suit. A statewide conference that would showcase what "elder-friendly" employers are doing - including small, medium, and large size firms from a variety of industries - could be a catalyst for other employers to follow suit, and give employed caregivers ideas to take back to their own Human Resource Departments.

A copy of the full report is available at http://web.mit.edu/workplacecenter/docs/car egiverrprt.pdf According to its website, the aim of the MIT Workplace Center is to build-in theory and in practice-a mutually supportive relationship between the performance of firms and the well being of employees, their families, and communities.