NFCA'S 15th Anniversary

Here’s What We are Most Proud of

1. People are talking. When NFCA began, family caregiving was talked about solely as an aging issue. For NFCA, it has always been a lifespan one, encompassing families with a Down’s Syndrome child, a soldier son or daughter disabled in Iraq, a young couple dealing with a diagnosis of MS, or siblings caring for their mother with Alzheimer’s disease. Today, patient advocacy and government groups alike recognize caregiving as an issue that transcends the lifespan.


2. Change is happening. Through articles, presentations, media interviews, and testimony before public officials, NFCA is credited with putting a face on the reality of family caregiving and showing family caregivers that they are not alone. National Family Caregivers Month, which we created and has become part of our national culture, is inspiring national, state, and local proclamations, as well as educational programs in local communities. Legislation such as the National Family Caregiver Support Program and the Lifespan Respite Act is being enacted. States are taking action to provide services to support family caregivers. Corporate America is investing in programs like never before. And the media now regularly writes stories about caregiving families and the need for systemic change to improve their health and wellbeing.


3. Family caregivers are no longer alone. NFCA helps hundreds of thousands of family caregivers lessen their isolation, develop skills for finding help, advocate for themselves and their loved ones in healthcare settings, and understand the complex family dynamics that caregiving imposes. NFCA is recognized as a trusted voice by family caregivers who see that NFCA spokespeople and representatives walk in their shoes and truly understand what it means to be a family caregiver. Through print publications, the web, phone, media, and in face-to-face interactions in communities across the country, NFCA is there for family caregivers.

Here’s What We Plan to Achieve in the Next 15

1. Educate Family Caregivers. NFCA will build on our existing educational programs and Learning Library of support materials to establish a comprehensive forum for family caregiver education. Designed to provide family caregivers with skills and knowledge in healthcare communication, financial management, and decision-making, NFCA’s educational programs will provide ongoing and much needed support to family caregivers in multiple formats for access by all.


2. Grow Our Community. NFCA will develop an interconnected network of nationwide community-based peer volunteers, telephonic, and e-communities that will give family caregivers the opportunity 24/7 to learn from, and connect, build bonds, and share information with each other in easy-to-access ways.


3. Advocate for Systemic Change. NFCA will work in collaboration with others to build a vibrant and politically active community of family caregivers and supporters who recognize and act on their power to bring about change. NFCA is committed to bringing about the passage of a piece of legislation that will have such a major impact on the health and wellbeing of caregiving families in an economically responsible way that it will draw almost universal support from a vast number of stakeholders.

Throughout the Anniversary, NFCA provides companies the opportunity to align with a cause that is likely to touch the lives of all Americans at some point in their lifetime - caregiving. Information for how your company or organization can get involved is available here (pdf).