A Message from EWG’s President

Upcoming PhD Dissertation Study on Women in the Senior Executive Service

One of our members, Patricia T. Taylor, a PhD candidate and a member of the SES, will be conducting a study of career and employment issues related to SES women for her dissertation. Her study will focus on a number of important issues, including representation, the potential existence of a glass ceiling, public service motivation, benefits and drawbacks associated with federal employment, and factors for career success.

Since the mid-1970s when women began holding management jobs in significant numbers, a body of research has emerged examining the career progress of women in leadership and management positions in the private sector. A lot less research has been done to explore these issues for women in senior executive positions in the federal sector, however. We believe that Pat’s study can make a contemporary and significant contribution to a better understanding of the role of women in the SES and in the federal government.

Over the next few months, Pat will be mailing out surveys to EWG women who are currently in the SES. She has requested our assistance in securing a high return rate for this effort. If time permits, she may also conduct a few interviews as well.

EWG has been assured that all individual responses will be treated confidentially. I urge your cooperation and I strongly encourage you to complete and return the survey promptly. A pre-addressed, postage paid envelope will be provided for your convenience.

Pat needs our help and she is very interested in getting your input. Her contact information is listed below:

Patricia Taylor
Scholar in Residence
5602 Phelps Luck Drive
Columbia, MD 21045
(301) 596-0854 (phone)
(301) 596-0892 (fax)
pttaylor54@comcast.net or pttaylor54@msn.com

Marylouise Uhlig
President, Executive Women in Government

Coping with the stress of doing your best for elderly parents

Last week, AARP hosted a public forum called “Navigating the Chaos of Caring for Elderly Parents.” Last month, the Kansas City Star covered a town hall meeting about the burdens on adult children who care for elderly parents. Across the country, people are talking about how to cope with the demands and the guilt. Topics at the AARP event included:

• Warning signs – indications that an aging parent needs help
• How to handle care in a long distance situation
• Managing family dynamics and having tough conversations
• Choosing a caregiver and ensuring quality care
• The economics of aging – financial issues surrounding caregiving

As daughters with aging parents and as leaders of employees with aging parents, we need ideas on how to deal with the myriad of challenges. The Kansas City Star article quoted Gail Hunt, executive director of the National Alliance for Caregiving. “What the research shows is people want flextime. They want flexible hours, and they want information.”

The federal government offers the flexible hours. We can offer the information by working with our Human Resources Offices to present brown bag seminars, sponsored perhaps by one of the organizations listed under Useful Eldercare Resources.

A leader in helping employees handle the stress of coping with aging parents, whether it’s day-to-day care or simply worrying about them, is the U.S. State Department. As executives, we know that both planning and communicating are crucial to managing any predicament. The State Department’s website offers the following tips on communicating with elderly parents.

Talking with our elderly parents about their living situations and the possible need for change is not always easy. A successful conversation depends to an extent upon the relationship we have with the parent, as well, of course, as on the parent's mental, emotional and physical condition. While many people put off serious conversations to avoid conflict or awkwardness, both parent and adult child may lose an opportunity for closeness, understanding, access to information that may affect the decision, and optimum peace of mind.

To the extent possible, talk with your elderly parents gently and honestly about their wishes, their abilities and their options. Far more often than not, these conversations are helpful and put the adult child in a better position to make decisions later when the parent may not be able to do so. The following are suggestions for conversations with your elderly parent:

• Share your own feelings, and reassure the parent that you will support them and can be depended upon to help them solve their problems.

• Help the parent to retain whatever control is possible in making his or her own decisions. Respect and try to honor their wishes wherever feasible.

• Encourage the smallest change possible at each step, so that the parent is more able to adjust to the change.

• Educate yourself on legal, financial and medical matters that pertain to your parent as background for your conversations, including current knowledge on the aging process.

• Respect your own needs - be honest with your parents about your time and energy limits.

Useful Eldercare Resources

Aging Parents: The Family Survival Guide - consisting of a booklet and two videotapes, this guide is designed to help family members respond to eldercare crises and to plan ahead for long-term care giving. To order, call 1-888-777-5585 or order online at www.agingparents.com

ElderWeb: An Online Eldercare Sourcebook - Designed to assist older Americans, professionals and family members, this web site covers eldercare and related issues with an extensive array of links. www.elderweb.com

Travel Tips for Older Americans from the Department of State Bureau of Consular Affairs http://travel.state.gov/olderamericans.html

Academy of Elder Law Attorneys
1604 North Country Club Road
Tucson, AZ 85716
Tel: 520-881-4005
Fax: 520-325-7925
Web site: www.naela.org

Alzheimer's Association, Inc.
919 North Michigan Avenue, Suite 1000
Chicago IL 60611
Tel: 1-800-272-3900
Web site: www.alz.org

American Association of Retired Persons
601 E Street NW
Washington, DC 20049
Tel: 202-434-2277
Web site: www.aarp.org
Provides the following free pamphlets: Miles Away and Still Caring (D-12748); A Handbook About Care in the Home (D-955); A Path For Caregivers (D-12957)

Health Insurance Association of America
555 13th Street NW, Suite 600 East
Washington, DC 20004
Tel: 202-824-1600
Fax: 202-824-1722
Web site: www.hiaa.org
Publishes A Consumer's Guide to Long-Term Care.

National Association of Private Geriatric Care Managers
1604 North Country Club Road
Tucson, AZ 85715
Tel: 520-881-8008
Fax: 520-325-7925
Web site: www.caremanager.org
Provides free referrals nationwide and sells a directory of members and managers.

National Council on the Aging, Inc.
409 3rd Street SW
Washington, DC 20061-5087
Tel: 202-479-1200
Web site: www.ncoa.org
Publishes Perspective on Aging, a bimonthly magazine, and Family Home Caring Guides.

National Institute on Aging
9000 Rockville Pike
Bethesda, MD 20892
Tel: 301-496-1752
Web site: www.aoa.dhhs.gov

National Guardianship Association
1604 N. Country Club Rd
Tucson, AZ 85716
Tel: 520-881-6561
Web site: www.guardianship.org
State Agencies on Aging
A listing of web sites is available at www.aoa.gov/agingsites/state.html

Plan to attend: Learn and network at upcoming EWG events

EWG has some first-class events lined up. Register online or by calling the EWG office at 301-725-3500. Mark your calendars for exciting events in the future!

Thursday, October 9 Luncheon

Speaker: Linda M. Schuessler, Deputy Director for Air Traffic, Federal Aviation Administration

Linda Schuessler shares responsibility with the director for the management and policy direction of more than 600 U.S. air traffic control facilities and over 24,000 personnel, including 18,000 air traffic controllers, nationwide. Her responsibilities include development of national policies, procedures, standards, and criteria required to ensure the safe, secure and efficient movement of civil and military air traffic. She began her FAA career as a controller at the Atlanta Air Route Traffic Control Center 29 years ago.

Registration: $35.00 per member, $40.00 per guest
Time: Noon
Location: Finemondo, 1319 F Street, NW, Washington, DC 20004
Phone: 202-737-3100

November 6 & 7 Forum

The International Alliance for Women (TIAW) is pleased to announce TIAW's 2003 Global Partnership Forum: "Uncommon Women on Common Ground," November 6 and 7, 2003, at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center in Washington, DC.

This year’s program is a thought-provoking look at three key areas for women: Leadership, Ethics and Governance; Influence and Power; and Collaboration and Connection.

This is a “must attend” event for women whose business or company has an international scope, for women entrepreneurs building business contacts or anyone with an interest in meeting and sharing information with women from around the world. Beat the rush, register now using the attached Early Bird Registration form.

NOTE: EWG members may register at the TIAW member rate (save $50!) through a special arrangement between the two associations...another valuable benefit of your EWG membership!

November 13 Luncheon

Nancy Harvey Steorts, author of Living Safely in a Dangerous World, will speak to EWG members at the Army-Navy Club, 901 17th St. N.W. Steorts is the former chair of the Consumer Product Safety Commission. Location and price to be confirmed. Visit EWG's event page for updates.

December 4 Tea

EWG will hold a High Tea at the Four Seasons Hotel in Georgetown. Special guest speaker at the holiday fundraiser will be Julie Beckman, architect of the Pentagon Memorial. Visit EWG's event page for more information.

Spring 2004 EWG Conference: Is in the planning! Specifics to be announced.

Also upcoming in 2004, an evening of music at the Austrian Embassy followed by a reception at the ambassador’s residence.

EWG In the News . . . and News About EWG Members

The installation of our new officers made quite a splash in the news. The swearing-in ceremony, conducted by Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, was mentioned by the Washington Post, the Federal Times and the National Journal.

“New Push for Diversity”, the front-page article in the August 25 issue of Federal Times quoted three of our EWG members, President Marylouise Uhlig, Past President Linda Massaro, and Status of Women Committee Chair Mercedes Olivieri.

Linda Massaro is retiring after 35 years in the federal government to take a job with the Computer Sciences Corporation. Linda will be working as an account executive on a Department of Education contract.

Some of you may have already heard, but it bears repeating that Mercedes Olivieri has been elected as chair of the Women’s Action Committee for National Image, a prominent Hispanic civil rights organization. Mercedes is a senior official with the Outreach Group for OPM.

If you know of EWG members in the news – or have news of EWG members, contact Pam Carter, communications chair, at pcarter@acf.hhs.gov.

EWG Welcomes Our New Members

(Joined since June 15, 2003)