BERMUDA'S senior population is set to double to 22 percent over the next 23 years, with the island's limited workforce supporting twice as many seniors. And they are living longer. That's according to the Bermuda Council on Ageing (BDACA) which estimates that the overall senior dependency ratio will grow from 16 to 36 per cent by 2030 and this can translate into huge losses for local companies as more employees are taking on the responsibility of caring for their ageing relatives.

In the United States, MetLife Insurance reports that the hidden cost of caregiving was in the region of $33.6 billion. Since no studies have been conducted in this area in Bermuda, the total cost is unknown, but BDACA's executive director, Marian Sherratt is convinced companies are losing millions of dollars as more than 60 percent of the local workforce is caring for elderly relatives at home.

This means that companies are dealing with partial and full employee absenteeism; the cost of replacing employees who decide to give up their jobs (and health benefits) to care for their ageing relatives full-time; lost productivity through workday interruptions and greater use of health care services.

Not surprisingly the responsibility of caring for ageing relatives also appears to fall on the island's female population, many of whom are already caring for young children and up to 46 percent of these caregivers are feeling the financial strain.

Ms Sherratt says even if only 20 percent of Bermuda's estimated 10,000 seniors are in need of some form of caregiving, this translates into about 2,000 caregivers, many of whom are in paid employment.

She adds that unlike the United Kingdom, caregivers currently have no protection under any legislation in Bermuda.

In 1999 the UK Government announced its National Strategy for Carers, which aimed to enhance the quality of life of caregivers. Since this strategy, England and Wales have passed the Carers and Disabled Children Act (2000).

Ms Sherratt would like to see similar legislation introduced in Bermuda and warns that without it, caregivers risk becoming the next generation of aged poor.

To address these issues and raise awareness and support for Bermuda's ageing population, BDACA will be hosting a public conference on December 6.

Ms Sherratt sees this as a valuable opportunity for stakeholders to network and learn from one another about how ageing is changing the demographics in the workplace: "Our demographics are shifting rapidly and we're working under policies that may have worked 20 years ago, but are not going to work now!"

"Caregiving/ageing workforce policies now are where maternity and child-care policies were 30 years ago. And addressing caregiving and work policies will result in not only great control of costs, measurement of human resource issues and long-term planning, but also greater workforce productivity, worker retention and worker loyalty," she says, all key factors in the restricted employment environment of Bermuda.

Addressing these outstanding issues surrounding the island's seniors will also result, over the long run, in reduced healthcare costs, the need for extended periods of institutional care, and the overall costs that a growing dependency ratio will impose on the workforce, reduced stress and improved health of family caregivers and their family members.

Some proposed policy reforms to be discussed at the upcoming conference, said Mrs. Sherratt, would include the introduction of flexi/part-time work and family leave policies for caregivers, flexible benefit policies, eldercare service co-ordination/case management/respite care and facilities, counselling for the psychosocial and financial impacts on caregivers and their families and flexible retirement, retention and recruitment policies for older workers.

The conference, "Ageing Work", takes place on December 6 at the Bermuda Underwater Exploration Institute (BUEI) and for more information, or to register, call 236-0378 or visit www.bdaca.org. The cost of the conference is $100 per person.