Baby Boomers Aware of Aging Parents' Needs, Yet Lack Vital Care Resources and Tools According to a Care.com Survey

WALTHAM, Mass., April 4, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Care.com senior care services support growing needs of elder population.

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NEWS FACTS

A burgeoning elderly population and lack of caregiving preparedness underscore the critical need for senior care resources, according to a survey conducted by Care.com (http://www.care.com/), an online resource helping families connect with local caregivers for children, adults & seniors, pets and home & lifestyle.

Key findings of the survey include:

• 46% of respondents have a good understanding of their aging loved ones' preferences for care, but don't know the details surrounding how to proceed;
• 44% of respondents are tapped into their aging parents' behavioral/physical changes and are deeply concerned about their health and well being;
• 47% of respondents are tasked with housekeeping, transportation and financial management duties for their aging parents;
• 32% of respondents carry the full load of caregiving responsibilities for their aging parents; and
• 47% of respondents say concerns over finances and paying for long-term care are top of mind when addressing their aging loved one's care needs.

To help families who are facing these challenges, Care.com offers an array of Senior Care support services, including:

• Care.com's subscription-based service – A great solution for families who want to help their aging family member remain at home, and who have a clear sense of their care needs.  Users visit Care.com, post a job request, connect with caregivers, conduct interviews and check references on their own, and finally, hire a care provider.
• Care.com's Senior Care Advisors – A free service for families who need more support and guidance. Advisors conduct detailed assessments with each family over the phone and then create a customized list of potential senior care options based on the family's stated needs, preferences, and financial resources.
• Care.com's Senior Care Planning Services – Offered primarily as an employee benefit through our Workplace Solutions program. Employers contract with Care.com to provide in-depth senior care planning support to their employees, helping to create clear, customized action plans, resulting in significant time savings and reduced stress for their workforce. This service is also available to consumers who need a deeper level of support.

QUOTES

• "Care.com is the comprehensive online resource for senior care support, nationwide," said Sheila Lirio Marcelo. "We provide both online and offline services that help connect families looking for care with options to meet their diverse needs. Whether you are looking for errand assistance for your aging mother, considering a move to a senior living community for your father, or need advice about how to plan for care as you and your spouse age, we can help."
• "As a social worker with expertise in eldercare, I have heard the life stories of family caregivers, the heart ache, the loss, the fear of aging and debilitation, the burdens, and the rewards," said Jody Gastfriend, VP of Care Management, Care.com. "As these findings show, making effective decisions about the care of a loved one often takes more time than anticipated and requires an understanding of the long term care system that many caregivers lack.  Care.com's Senior Care support services are meant to be a valuable resource, providing important information about types of care, costs, resources, and the complex and ever-changing landscape faced by caregivers throughout their journey."
• "Care.com helped me locate a trusted care provider for my mother who lives far away," said Diane Hessan, President and CEO of Communispace. "It took me 3 minutes to sign up and write an ad – within 24 hours I had 57 responses. What impressed me was the quality of responses was very high. From running errands to interfacing with my mother's nursing home on her behalf, the provider I ultimately selected has proven an invaluable resource to my mother and, ultimately, my family."

MULTIMEDIA ELEMENTS

                    Senior Care Guide                                    Care.com Logo

About Care.com, Inc.

Founded in 2006, Care.com (www.care.com) is the largest and fastest growing service used by families seeking high-quality care providers, providing a place to easily connect with hundreds of thousands of care providers, share care giving experiences and get advice. The company addresses the unique lifecycle of care needs that each family goes through - child care, senior care, special needs care, tutoring, pet care, housekeeping and more. To help ensure safety both online and at home, Care.com provides mom-reviewed profiles, monitored messaging, access to background checks, recorded references, and educational information on the interviewing process. Fortune 500 companies, educational institutions, technology companies, and professional services firms offer Care.com memberships as a benefit to employees through its Workplace Solutions program.

www.care.com | Twitter: @CareDotCom | Facebook: Care.com Fan Page

SOURCE Care.com