Liz Eddy Scully, the co-founder and CEO of Lantern (which Wellthy acquired in May 2023) wrote earlier this year, “Americans are experiencing traumatic loss at a rapid pace” — and the impact this is having on the health and well-being of families is profound.
A few powerful data points:
- 57% of Americans are grieving a recent loss, with 88% having emotional symptoms of grief, and 68% having physical symptoms of grief (source);
- 1 in 3 Americans have lost someone to COVID-19 in the past 3.5 years (source);
- For every person who passes away, there are more than 9 newly-bereaved individuals mourning their loss (source);
- 30 work days are lost each year by employees experiencing grief, with many employees reporting that they feel pressured to recover immediately from their managers (source)
Add to this that 60% of U.S. adults have no plans in place for their end-of-life, and it makes for an extremely complex, frightening, and stressful situation when a loss of life occurs.
That’s a direct parallel as well to the care crisis experienced by so many families — 75% of Americans face some sort of caregiving responsibility, and 76% of these unpaid caregivers are untrained, untaught, and unprepared to provide care for a loved one. Which means when a crisis strikes, it can be extremely destabilizing for a family, an employee, or community.
In May, research from Arizent and Employee Benefit News found that today’s employees crave benefits that support their physical, mental, financial, and professional needs — through even the most challenging of life events and through every stage of care, including end of life.
And research has shown that healthcare providers see tremendous improvements in quality of care and patient outcomes by supporting members with pre-planning and direct end of life resources.
We’re eager at Wellthy to work with employers and health plans to make sure that families have everything they need to plan ahead for end of life and loss, and to navigate all of the complexities and grief when losing a loved one. As Liz Eddy Scully writes: “in an era where death and loss are top of mind, it’s time we make dramatic changes to better prepare ourselves” — and that’s exactly what Wellthy’s care concierge can do for families.
To learn more about how Wellthy helps provide compassionate support for families that have lost a loved one or are preparing for end of life, feel free to request a demo today.
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