News of the growing elderly population can actually be viewed as good news for the academic library’s reference desk. In addition to positioning ourselves as a resource for eldercare with our teaching faculty and campus administration peers, we are also in the best position to facilitate a smooth transition of older adult students onto our campuses. The American Council on Education’s 2007 report “Framing New Terrain: Older Adults and Higher Education” suggests that older adults’ interest in “encore careers” (careers pursued and developed after retirement) will lead many of them back into higher education. Our responsibility is to ensure that we are prepared to understand and address the unique concerns of older adults that may or may not be course related.
However, the cost of lost work-related productivity due to eldercare can become economically devastating for employers. U.S. businesses lose an estimated $17.1 billion to $33.6 billion per year in lost productivity from employees with caregiving responsibilities. A large portion of this lost productivity is linked to individuals seeking eldercare information and resources during their working hours.
Some of us understand from first-hand experience how eldercare impacts our ability to perform at work. As a part of the “sandwich generation,” we share with colleagues our struggle in balancing job performance, marriages/partnerships, childcare, requirements on the tenure track, and active participation in professional associations with caring for elderly family members. On top of that, many of us are our families and friends “personal librarian” and have (or will in the future) field questions about eldercare resources. In that respect, creating this list was deeply personal.
This compilation was written and edited by Alexia Hudson, a reference and instruction librarian at the Pennsylvania State University Abington College,
Source: Association of College & Research Libraries (College & Research Library News)
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