Some troubling statistics recently landed in my email inbox: The number of U.S. workers who are caring for one or both of their parents has tripled in the last 15 years. According to one recent study, there are nearly 10 million adult children older than 50 responsible for an aging parent, and companies are losing upward of $17 billion a year due to absenteeism and other factors relating to caregiving.

With the boomer generation not getting any younger, this is a rapidly swelling issue that should be of immense concern to companies across the country. But it doesn’t seem many are paying attention.

“I think we have a stigma about aging in this country, and I don’t think anybody ever thought we’d have to be dealing with this situation,” said Cindy Laverty, a caregiving coach and founder of The Care Company, which works with individuals and advocates for working caregiver rights. “It used to be that people died in their 70s. Now they’re dying in their 90s and 100s. So we have people who are either leaving the workforce to go take care of a loved one or they’re missing a lot of days of work, taking unpaid leaves of absence, and it’s adding up.”

As is often the case in the workplace, the heart of the problem here is a lack of communication. Companies are not considering the fact that they might have workers who need to care for a parent or other adult relative, and employees aren’t letting companies know what they need in order to balance work and these outside responsibilities.

“Wouldn’t it be wonderful if corporate America could work with the individual person who’s just trying to do the right thing by their parents?” Laverty said. “Wouldn’t it be great if we started to change the way we view this subject, knowing that it’s going to happen to everyone? Caregiving doesn’t discriminate. It’s going to happen to the CEO, the vice president, down to middle management and the worker. And it takes an emotional toll.”

The good news is that there are some relatively simple steps companies can take to make life better for employees who have caregiving responsibilities.

Raising the issue is the logical first step. Ask employees what the company can do to provide support. Consider bringing in people who are familiar with caregiving services and support groups.

The next key is offering workers some flexibility. I believe that if you trust your employees, if you show a willingness to help them work through the demands of family life, that trust will be paid back both in productivity and loyalty.

None of this requires any significant investment on the part of a company.

Of course, workers can’t just sit around and wait for their employers to bring up the subject.

Have a conversation with your boss; explain your caregiving situation and see if there’s a mutually agreeable way to make sure your work hours are spent focused on work and not worrying or feeling guilty about other obligations.

There are millions out there — and millions more to come — who are stressed and exhausted, worried about their jobs, guilty that they aren’t doing all they can for their moms or dads.

If you’re one of those people, speak up, and seek out others whose shared experiences might help you out. And if you’re an employer, speak up, and see if there aren’t people in your company who could benefit from an easily extended helping hand.

REX HUPPKE: Chicago Tribune workplace columnist. Contact him at rhuppke@tribune.com.