This is an archive page. The links are no longer being updated.

News Release

HHS Urges Family Caregivers to Look After Themselves As Well As Their Loved Ones

Call Comes As HHS Holds Town Hall Highlighting Efforts Of Family Caregivers

HHS Secretary Tommy G. Thompson today thanked the millions of Americans who care for family members with disabilities or chronic illnesses and urged them to make sure that they look after their own health as well.

"In more than 20 million homes across the country, family caregivers play a critical role in ensuring older Americans are treated with the love and compassion that they deserve, but too often caregivers put their own health on the back burner," Secretary Thompson said. "They need to eat right, keep active and stay healthy themselves if they want to continue to provide needed care and support to their family. HHS is helping by providing services through the National Family Caregiver Support Program."

HHS sponsored a national town hall meeting at its headquarters today, calling the nation's attention to the heroic efforts of family caregivers and the challenges confronting them. Family caregivers at the town hall offered personal testimonies about their experiences, including the positive impact that health promotion activities have had on their quality of life.

"The National Family Caregiver Support Program is already making a tremendous difference in the lives of families across America --simply by providing hundreds of thousands of caregivers with the support they need to take care of their loved ones, as well as themselves," Assistant Secretary for Aging Josefina G. Carbonell said.

Family caregivers are a critical source of care to people with disabilities and chronic health problems. One study found that the unpaid and informal care that the family caregivers provided in 2000 was estimated at about $257 billion.

Caring for a family member with a disability or chronic condition pose significant health risks and can contribute to physical and mental health problems affecting caregivers. In one long-term care survey, sponsored by HHS, about a third of caregivers described their own health as "fair to poor."

Other recent research findings suggest that stress associated with family caregiving can result in increased risks of infectious diseases, such as colds and flu, depressive symptoms, and chronic diseases, such as heart disease, diabetes and cancer. Family caregiving, when accompanied by emotional strain, has also been found to be an independent risk factor for mortality among older adults.

HHS is spearheading several efforts that provide support to family caregivers nationwide. Its Administration on Aging (AoA) runs the National Family Caregiver Support Program, which provides information about available services; assistance in accessing supportive services; individual counseling, support groups and caregiver training; respite care including in-home care, adult day services or short stay in a nursing home; and supplemental services, on a limited basis, to complement caregivers' efforts. The program was launched in February 2001.

HHS has also worked with states to promote consumer-directed care options through the Medicaid program. This approach can provide resources to help beneficiaries remain in their homes and allows family caregivers of all ages to arrange the services they need when they want them.

AoA supports a national, toll-free Eldercare Locator, which can help identify local service providers to help those needing assistance in caring for their loved one, relatives, or friends. The Eldercare Locator can be reached at 1-800-677-1116 or at http://www.eldercare.gov. Caregiver information can also be found at http://www.aoa.gov/caregivers.

###

Note: All HHS press releases, fact sheets and other press materials are available at http://www.hhs.gov/news.

Last Revised: December 16, 2003