torchlight Announces First Online Platform for Modern Caregivers Balancing Work and Elder Care

Business Wire

Tech company offers innovative benefit torchlight elder to support demands of work and elder care

BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- torchlight, creator of the first technology platform to support modern caregivers, announced today the launch of torchlight elder, a solution that guides employees in caring for aging family members with confidence. Designed for innovative employers, torchlight elder provides personalized action plans, easy-to-use digital tools, and expert advice to help the working caregiver balance the demands of work and caring for an elderly family member.

According to Ceridian Lifeworks’ 2015 Report “Double Duty, The Caregiving Crisis in the Workplace,” over 22 million American workers are also caretakers for family and friends, spending an average of 29 hours per week providing care in addition to their regular work hours. The report estimates that the demands of caregiving and resulting absenteeism cost employers $38.2 billion in lost productivity each year. Furthermore, the Administration on Aging estimates that, by 2030, there will be about 72.1 million older persons in the U.S., representing an increase of more than 45 percent since 2009.

“As the number of Americans ages 65 and older is projected to more than double by 2060, companies must learn how to support their employees who are responsible for caregiving for an adult,” said Gail Hunt, president & CEO of the National Alliance for Caregiving. “Innovative technologies are critical to businesses in developing a caregiver-friendly work environment for supporting their employees. These technologies can support working caregivers by providing information and services to allow them to stay in the workforce.”

Modern Caregiving with torchlight elder
torchlight elder provides the modern caregiver with an online navigation platform that can be accessed 24 hours a day, seven days a week from any web-enabled device. By using roadmaps that are built into the caregiving platform, employees are able to develop clear action plans that help them care for their elderly family member.

Once logged in, employees can get detailed information that supports their caregiving journey helping them to:

Assess and determine appropriate housing options for an aging loved one
Understand the benefits of geriatric care and the unique medical needs of the elderly
Consider why an elder law attorney may be the best choice
Evaluate the pros and cons of available insurance options
Plan and organize for end-of-life discussions
Address special needs for veterans or spouses of veterans and
Gain insights into a variety of topics, including nutrition, pet ownership, and family dynamics

Employees also have a number of resources available to them, including:

Personalized recommendations tailored to the caregiver’s or loved one’s profile and needs
Subject-matter tutorials on topics that increase a caregiver’s expertise and confidence
Dozens of interactive tools to inform and guide decision making
Virtual file cabinet to store, manage and access key documents
Journal to record the caregiving experience
Calendar to track appointments, special events and other important dates and
Team sharing to include others in a loved one’s care

“We are entering an age where caregiving – a $38.2 billion problem – in the United States alone – is becoming the unpaid second job that so many people must perform, but for which they never planned,” said Adam R. Goldberg, M.Ed., CEO and founder of torchlight. “As a pioneer in supporting caregivers with digitally-based services, torchlight deeply understands this challenge. torchlight elder enables employers to support these modern caregivers, who benefit from a platform that enables them to get the guidance they need, where and when they need it. It’s a modern solution to a modern challenge, and we are privileged to take it to market with a growing community of employers and partners.”

In 2013, the company launched torchlight child, formerly known as myEdGPS, which is an online platform designed for parents of the more than 19 million children in the U.S. who struggle with autism, ADHD, learning disabilities and other special or exceptional needs. Currently, torchlight child has been deployed at more than 50 companies throughout the United States.

Caregiving Experts Offer Support Through torchlight elder
In addition to the core platform, employers can purchase one-on-one expert advising sessions as an add-on feature. The network of experts include sessions with eldercare managers, geriatricians and/or geriatric care managers, outreach counselors, eldercare attorneys, retirement and estate planners, dementia experts, elder LGBT community activists and program representatives, Medicare and Medicaid counselors, and family mediators.

About torchlight
Formerly known as myEdGPS, torchlight is a technology platform that reduces the costs and complexities of modern caregiving – a $38.2 billion challenge – for families and employers in the United States. With personalized action plans, easy-to-use digital tools, and expert advising, caregivers now have the power to handle every challenge with confidence. torchlight covers over half a million working families at innovative companies across the country, that recognize caring is good business.

The company was founded by caregiving pioneer Adam Goldberg, M.Ed., and is based in Boston. For more information contact [email protected], phone 844-693-3477, or visit torchlight.care.