BY JUDY LIN-EFTEKHAR
UCLA Today Staff

One in four working Americans are caring for family members and friends over the age of 65. At the same time, many of these caregivers are also caring for children under 18.

Often, these caregivers, about 75% of them women, don’t do well in caring for themselves: As many as 57% of caregivers are clinically depressed, most are in fair to poor physical health and about half of caregiving spouses will end up dying before their spouse. By the year 2020, 40% of the workforce will be caring for aging parents.

“The Woodstock Generation has become the Caretaking Nation,” said Dale Bell, co-producer of a PBS documentary on caregivers. Bell was one of several experts on eldercare at a conference organized by the Faculty and Staff Counseling Center recently at the James West Alumni Center. Nearly 200 employees heard presentations, obtained resource materials and talked with community resource representatives on topics ranging from the aging process to the nuts-and-bolts of home health care.

“Identifying resources to help employees address their work/life needs has rapidly become a major element for employers in their efforts to recruit and retain top talent,” said Lubbe Levin, assistant vice chancellor of Campus Human Resources, in introducing the conference. “The university is no exception.”

Bunni Dybnis of LivHome, Inc. noted that 85% of Americans say they want to keep living at home when they are older. However, for those still at home at age 65, she explained, “the quality of life is not so good for about 75% of them.”

Providing care for aging parents can be a source of tremendous emotional stress, financial crisis and other burdens that affect the entire family. In reaching out to employees who are caregivers, UCLA’s counseling center is organizing lunchtime support groups as well as working with employees one-on-one, said Nan Levine-Mann, the center’s co-director. For infor- mation, call (310) 794-0245.