Welcome!
The National Alliance for Caregiving is dedicated to providing support to family caregivers and the professionals who help them and to increasing public awareness of issues facing family caregivers. To learn more about the Alliance, read our organizational profile.
2009 National Family Caregiving Awards Program is now accepting applications
Now in its fourth year, this program is intended to improve the quality of life of family caregivers by recognizing and supporting the important work of community agencies and other organizations that support family caregivers as a significant part of their mission. The awards will be presented at a luncheon ceremony held at the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging 34th Annual Conference and Tradeshow. The Alliance would like to thank its sponsor, MetLife Foundation, for making this wonderful opportunity possible. For more information, please see the National Family Caregiving Awards page.
Caregiver Study Shows that More Than Eight Million Hispanics Provide Care to Older Loved Ones
UnitedHealth Group's Evercare® organization and the National Alliance for Caregiving (NAC) have released their findings from the National Hispanic Family Caregiving Survey. The study, the largest comprehensive look at Hispanic caregivers, found that more than one third of Hispanic households (36 percent) have at least one family member caring for an older loved one - a larger percentage than all U.S. caregiving households (21 percent). It also revealed that becoming a family caregiver caused a major shift in the working situation of Hispanics, a change which could have dramatic personal implications as the current fiscal crisis continues to unfold in the United States. In addition, given that more than eight million Hispanics provide care to older loved ones nationwide, the emotional and physical tolls of caregiving might also impact both local and national economies. The entire study, Evercare Study of Hispanic Caregiving in the U.S., can be viewed in English (pdf) or Spanish (pdf).
International Caregiving Event Held at the UN
On the occasion of the global celebration of the United Nations International Day of Older Persons, the National Alliance for Caregiving, AARP, and the UN Global Programme on Ageing hosted a meeting, "Global Perspectives on Family Caregiving," to discuss the latest issues on international family caregiving. The event was held on Wednesday, October 1, 2008, at the United Nations Headquarters in New York.
Speakers presented regional perspectives on caregiving to highlight the increasingly important role family caregivers play around the world as the backbone of their countries' long-term care systems.
Among the speakers was Baroness Jill Pitkeathley, Member of the UK's House of Lords, who delivered the keynote address. Jennie Chin Hansen from AARP moderated a panel with speakers from the newly developed Eurocarers organization, Christian Aid of Africa, and the Pakistan Alzheimer's Association; Gail Hunt of the Alliance moderated a session with speakers from the Pan American Health and Education Foundation, Carers New Zealand, and the Taiwan Association of Family Caregivers. Dr. Alexandre Sidorenko, Chief, Programme on Ageing at the United Nations, provided closing remarks to the meeting.
A summary of proceedings will be coming out in a few months.
Implications for Employers
The National Alliance for Caregiving and Center for Productive Aging, Towson
University conducted a study to evaluate the ability of eldercare programs
and their impact on employee presenteeism at work. This is the first time
anyone has used a presenteeism scale for this type of evaluation. LifeCare,
Inc. funded this 18-month study to examine the extent to which workplace
caregiving programs helped the employees who used them. A large managed
healthcare company employed the family caregivers who were participants in
this study. See the Report (PDF)
RESEARCH SUMMIT: Moving the Research Agenda Forward in Family Caregiving In June 2007, the MetLife Mature Market Institute and the National Alliance for Caregiving convened a one-day Caregiving Research Summit in Washington,DC. Ten experts in caregiving research were invited to present. The purpose of the Summit was to identify gaps in caregiving research and identify areas for potential exploration across academic disciplines. See the report (PDF)
Federal Caregiving Legislation - Read highlights from the first session of the 110th Congress.
National Family Caregivers Month (NFC Month) — observed every November — is a nationally recognized month that seeks to draw attention to the many challenges facing family caregivers, advocate for stronger public policy to address family caregiving issues, and raise awareness about community programs that support family caregivers. For more information visit www.thefamilycaregiver.org or call 800-896-3650.
Easter Seals and the National Alliance for Caregiving are pleased to announce the release of Caregiving in Rural America, a report to bring to light and support the demand to address the ever-increasing numbers and unmet needs of rural caregivers. The report concludes with a Call to Action that urges more research on caregiving in rural America and identifies next steps to address specific rural caregiving needs. To download a copy of Caregiving in Rural America from the Easter Seals website, go to www.easterseals.com/ruralcaregiving
Medicare is changing! Visit Medicare resources for information, including the new Medicare prescription drug benefit.
