This article appeared in the March/April 2022 issue of MiMfg Magazine. Read the full issue and find past issues online.

Making the best decisions for your aging loved ones while maintaining a career is a universal challenge, whether you’re a manufacturing employee or the CEO. Finding the right information and making the right decisions is daunting. What’s covered by insurance? What’s the difference between a nursing home and rehab facility? Will they need full-time care?

Homethrive provides the right answers and resources to reduce the work, worry and time needed to be a caregiver while allowing people to stay in their jobs and keep a normal routine. Caring for a loved one can be a full-time commitment that impacts just about every facet of life — especially work. It is a major contributor to employee turnover, and it’s estimated that up to 76 percent of caregivers will eventually leave their job due to the stress and time dedication.

Fortunately for MMA members, Homethrive offers an exclusive member benefit that helps your employees stay on the job while producing the best outcomes for their loved ones.

Asking questions is a big part of the job, says Erin Schneider, one of Homethrive’s expert Care Guides. It helps people understand their situation better and determine next steps.

“A lot of times people will come to us, and they think they need one thing but, once we start asking questions, it turns out their needs are completely different,” she says. “It’s our job as Care Guides to really educate them on what’s available.”

Schneider works directly with caregivers to coordinate services, consult and advise. Having a Care Guide, like Schneider, creates peace of mind while providing expert resources and information.

Schneider tells the story of a client who discovered Homethrive while seeking answers for his mother. The client’s mother was living alone, halfway across the country, when she fell and had to have emergency surgery. During her hospital stay and rehab, they discovered the mother had early signs of dementia. From her behavior, it was clear she couldn’t live alone any longer. The client realized he needed help to coordinate everything from long-term care options to picking the right moving company.

Working with Schneider, the client was able to move his mother closer and get the proper help that she needed, all without disruption to his job and his busy life.

This is a common story and one filled with possible pitfalls. Making the wrong decisions based on inaccurate information can have disastrous results, says Schneider.

“Having a Care Guide saves so much time so workers/members/
employees can focus on other things,” says Schneider. “They can actually just enjoy their parent or other loved ones… without having that extra stress of trying to make sure everything is going according to plan.”

From providing expert resources and information to navigating tough situations, Homethrive can help you and your employees keep their loved ones safe while maintaining a normal routine. In addition to one-on-one support from Care Guides, employees have 24/7 access to Dari, Homethrive’s digital assistant. Dari gives employees exclusive access to personalized resources and live chat recommendations.

See Member Benefits to learn more about your MMA benefits through Homethrive or contact MMA’s Brenda Nalett at 517-487-8512 or nalett@mimfg.org.