This article accompanies When the End's in Sight.

Experts have specific advice for HR leaders who want to initiate an end-of-life program in their own company:

* Assess what services and resources you already have in place.

* Document the impact of caregiving and end-of-life concerns, using appropriate surveys or metrics such as employee-engagement scores, absence data, healthcare costs and costs of retention, turnover and disability.

* Identify where you can clarify your policy or improve programs, implement new programs or alter benefits. For example, one place to start is with bereavement policies, by training managers to talk to grieving employees, extending bereavement leave and offering grief counseling through your EAP.

* Develop a communication strategy on how to publicize programs and policies, and provide information on end-of-life concerns.