On-the-Ground Coaching Experts Now in 19 Countries Target Surging Burnout and Mental Health Strain, Particularly in APAC's High-Risk "Sandwich Generation" In-Country Network Serves as Critical Lifeline for Global Professionals Managing Care for Family Members from Afar
SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 14, 2025 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Cleo, the leading global family care platform available in 190+ countries, today announced a significant data-driven expansion to deepen the local expertise of its global footprint, which currently serves members with culturally-concordant care across 70 countries. This strategic move is driven by the unprecedented acceleration of the aging population worldwide, particularly in Asia-Pacific (APAC), which has created a widespread caregiving crisis and increased burnout risk.
The company is increasing its local presence, with Guides now rooted in 19 countries to deliver truly localized, culturally-concordant caregiving services. This strategic expansion, heavily focused on the APAC region, adds dedicated, in-country specialists in high-need markets, including India, South Korea, Malaysia, and Thailand, to directly address the rising business and health risks posed by caregiver burnout and subsequent employee mental health strain in the APAC region. Members receive support through 250+ interpreted languages for live sessions, 22 Guide spoken languages, and five language preferences via the Cleo app.
The traditional one-size-fits-all approach to caregiving benefits is failing global workforces. This is particularly true in APAC, where the dual pressure of the aging populations and cultural expectations is creating a caregiving crisis, especially for women, who carry the majority of the caregiving responsibilities. It's hard enough being a caregiver to elders who live in your household or local area. What about those who must care-give from afar? India, for example, is experiencing a demographic shift, growing to an expected 300 million seniors by 2050, demanding urgent improvements in on-the-ground, personalized elder care.
"Caregiving is universal, but you can't copy/paste your caregiving support," said Cleo CEO Dr. Madhavi Vemireddy. "We are challenging the outdated, U.S.-centric view of benefits by operating on the ground in regions around the world, meeting families in their own language and culture with a deep, authentic understanding of what caregiving truly looks like for them. This is no longer just a benefit parity issue, it is a key component of a global mental health and talent retention strategy."
Cleo's global implementation has been live since 2018 and has steadily expanded across Europe/Middle East/Africa (EMEA), Latin America (LATAM), and APAC. Recognizing that to truly alleviate the burden on employees, Cleo provides local expertise with an intimate understanding of local social, cultural and healthcare infrastructures, knowledge that can never be imported through a one-size-fits-all approach.
Cleo's model for culturally concordant support is built on several key principles, starting with in-country expertise that provides culturally-attuned and native language support. This approach enables family-centered care that identifies top needs across all life stages, including for the growing "Sandwich Generation." The model proactively identifies employees at high risk for burnout and provides timely interventions, while also offering concierge and coaching support to help families find vetted, local resources for their specific challenges. Finally, it ensures a seamless connection to relevant employer benefits like mental health support and leave policies to provide holistic care.
This in-country network also serves as a critical lifeline for global professionals managing care for family members from afar. A vast population of Indian professionals living abroad struggles to find appropriate care for relatives back home. For these members, the top two requests received by Cleo's care teams are searching for healthcare providers and coordinating home care services, demonstrating the essential need for localized, on-the-ground support.
Cleo's Family Health IndexTM data reveals that 47% of its Indian members screen as higher-risk for burnout, compared to 43% for all members in APAC – often due to the disproportionate burden of invisible labor on women, who are frequently expected to manage both career and caregiving duties with limited support systems. This pressure impacts emotional health; 66% of Cleo members in India had a positive score on the PHQ-4, suggesting possible symptoms of anxiety or depression and the need for further evaluation and support. After receiving personalized support from Cleo, 68% of those members improved their score.
"Indian professionals globally face a paradox: raised in collectivist cultures, they're exceptional caregivers for their families yet often struggle to seek care for themselves due to deeply ingrained cultural expectations around prioritizing the collective over the self, where personal care is often viewed as self-indulgence at the cost of neglecting duty," says Arpitha Shankar, Cleo Guide in India. "For this population, mental health support and self-care must be framed not as individual therapy, but as resources that enhance their ability to fulfill family responsibilities effectively. Support for long-distance eldercare has become especially pertinent, alongside guidance for planning for and through parenthood journeys."
"The validation we receive from our customers at multinational corporations is unanimous: it is essential to design programs that are globally consistent but profoundly localized," said Dr. Madhavi Vemireddy. "By bringing together proprietary data on employee burnout risk and having on-the-ground experts, we're not just addressing individual wellbeing, we're strengthening entire family ecosystems that span geographies and at times, even continents."
About Cleo
Cleo is the only global, holistic, comprehensive family care platform supporting individuals throughout every life stage. Whether individuals are caring for their children, an adult loved one, or doing both as part of the growing "Sandwich Generation," all while taking care of their own health, Cleo provides life-changing care for families and family caregivers. Cleo provides virtual coaching, concierge support, and navigation to resources and benefits to support the needs of the entire family.
Serving more than 200 clients, Cleo provides global, equitable and inclusive support with Guides located in every region of the world. With a focus on driving family health outcomes, Cleo's virtual coaching and care navigation includes support for families experiencing dementia, cancer, and other complex care journeys. Backed by The Validation Institute, Cleo is proven to improve mental health and decrease burnout for members, all while maximizing cost savings. Cleo delivers evidence-based interventions to improve the health & well-being of the family unit, decrease caregiver burnout, increase productivity, and reduce healthcare spend. For the 3rd year in a row, Cleo is a Fast Company "Most Innovative Company" recipient.
For more information, visit www.hicleo.com/global and on Cleo's LinkedIn.
Media Contact
Audrey Mann Cronin, Cleo, 1 9142609651, [email protected], hicleo.com
SOURCE Cleo
Share this article