STAY CONNECTED 
From the Staff2015 has gotten off to a great start and we're excited to share some big news.
First, we invite you to join the Family Caregiving Tele-Town Hall on February 26 at 3pm ET. This online event will feature 2015 White House Conference on Aging Executive Director Nora Super, Caregiver Action Network CEO John Schall, and our own President/CEO Gail Hunt. The Town Hall will feature questions and comments from caregivers across the U.S. Register here!
Next, we hope to see you at From Caring to Caregiver Advocate: The 9th Annual National Conference of Caregiving Coalitions which will take place in Chicago onTuesday, March 24. This one day "boot camp" is hosted in conjunction with the annual meeting of the American Society on Aging and focuses on how to prepare advocates to better support the work of family caregiving.
Finally, we've launched the Caregiving Championsprogram, which highlights policymakers and persons of influence who are working to elevate family caregivers in their state. (See if your state has a Champion by clicking here.) In addition to our inaugural class of Champions, eight states have been hosting events focused on the needs of family caregivers at work. You can learn about their projects here. We're still taking nominations for Champion, so feel free to submit on behalf of leaders in your state.
It's a big year ahead with the White House Conference on Aging and the anniversaries of the Medicare, Medicaid, and Older Americans Act program. Stay tuned as we continue to develop programs and research on family caregiving.
Kind Regards,
The Team at the National Alliance for Caregiving
In This Issue
From the Staff
Research, Reports & Publications
Research, Reports & Publications
Legislation & Advocacy
State & Local Coalitions
Upcoming Events
New Research, Reports & Publications
The Government of Canada issued two reports on family caregiving. The first found that caregiving stress impacts mental health and the second examined employer attitudes and solutions for caregivers at work.
The Gerontological Society of America released new findings on the impact of the Medicare Annual Wellness Visit on the detection of cognitive impairment. Watch the presentation here.
Research in the Annals of Behavioral Medicine found that caregivers who provided care based on autonomous motivations had stronger spiritual lives and quality of life after five years than others. Read more here.
From the Blogosphere:
Why Caregivers Should Care about Clinical Trials
This month, Alliance staff Grace Whiting was honored to provide a guest blog for the "I'm In" Clinical Trials for Better Health campaign. Here's an excerpt; you can read the entire post here.
It's no secret that today's family caregiver has a lot on their plate. Whether caring for an aging parent or a loved one with a disability, more than 65 million people in the United States alone provide unpaid support as family caregivers. The typical caregiver gives an average of 20 hours each week caring for their loved one. Caregivers often feel stretched to manage their own needs and those of others.
Already overwhelmed, a caregiver may be hesitant to investigate clinical trials. Without information about the purpose of clinical trials, many may be concerned that a clinical trial will create one more thing for the "Caregiving To-Do" list. However, caregivers shouldn't be hesitant, because clinical trials can offer hope for both patients and families. Two populations in particular stand out. Read more here.
Legislation & Advocacy Updates
Federal Executive Branch
In early January, the White House announced the dates and locations for the five regional forums that will precede the decennial White House Conference on Aging held in July 2015. The location and dates for these forums are as follows: Tampa (Feb 19), Phoenix (Mar 31), Seattle (April 9), Cleveland (April 27), and Boston (May 9).
The President released the federal proposed budget for FY2016, which included an increase in funding for the National Family Caregiver Support program and a new family support initiative under the Administration for Community living. Learn more about the President's proposals for older Americans and persons with disabilities here.
U.S. Congress
The Older Americans Act reauthorization bill (S. 192) is moving quickly through the Senate, after passing through markup last month in the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions committee. Advocates are hopeful that the bill will move towards approval in the Senate in the coming months.
Members of the congressional Energy & Commerce Committee released a discussion draft for the bipartisan 21st Century Cures initiative. The proposed legislation would create new incentives for innovation in the biomedical and pharmaceutical space, as well as fast track treatments for diseases that have unmet needs.
State Legislative Developments
The state of Oregon is working on implementing free training for family caregivers so that they can better "...understand how to best manage the care, services, and support for the people they care for and love, ultimately helping improve the lives and care of aging Oregonians." Passed by the Oregon Legislature in 2014, Oregon Care Partners trainings are free and open to the public. With 14.3 percent of Oregon's population over the age of 65 and 27.9 percent over the age of 55, aging issues and the role that family caregivers play in it will continue to be a critical issue in the months and years ahead.
Legislation introduced last month in North Dakota seeks to solidify patient rights to identify family caregivers as a part of their hospital care team. House Bill 1279 creates and enacts chapter 23-48 of the North Dakota Century Code which allows patients the opportunity to identify their specific caregiver within the first 24 hours of admission as well as before being released or transferred to another hospital or facility.
On January 22, Connecticut State Senate Democrats held a press conference urging the Legislature to pass the CARE act which would ensure that caregivers are given follow-up care instructions when a patient is discharged from the hospital. If it is passed, Connecticut would become the third state in the nation to pass such a law.
Advocates in Hawaii were disappointed this month as lawmakers indefinitely postponed the CARE Act. While opponents agreed with the intent of the legislation, the bill faced criticism from hospitals in the area. Read more here.
Caregiving Coalitions Corner
Charlotte Dodge, Outreach Fellow
Several of our selected Caregiving Coalitions held their Working Family Caregivers Champions events this past month and so far we've received some excellent feedback on events. Here is an update on recently past events and those that will be coming up as we head into February:
1. Tennessee (Memphis): Caregivers Respite/Caregiver's Rest conference held a Listening Session on January 24th that identified the specific needs of working caregivers in the community. Many family caregivers shared their stories with member of the community and U.S. Representative Steve Cohen gave remarks.
2. Virginia (Culpeper, Fauquier, Madison, Orange, and Rappahannock
Counties): Aging Together The town hall meeting of family caregivers and the Culpeper Chambers of Commerce took place on January 22nd, and we hear there was a fruitful discussion between family caregivers and the local business community. More town-hall events with the Chambers of Commerce for Fauquier, Madison, Orange, and Rappahannock counties are scheduled over the coming weeks in February.
3. Wisconsin (Sheboygan County): Family Caregivers Coalition in Sheboygan
County. The 'Champions Who Care' event on January 30th was a "HUGE success," according to Kathy Manny, the local coalition leader. Over fifty people participated at the event, and the coalition honored Louie Gentine, CEO of Sargento Foods; Adam Payne, Sheboygan County administrator; State Senator and Sheboygan County Supervisor Devin LeMahieu; and Jon Rost, president of Hearthstone Wisconsin, as champions. Additionally, Jennifer Garner, regional representative for Senator Tammy Baldwin read a letter from Baldwin congratulating the coalition on its work.
4. Georgia (Savannah): The Edel Caregiver Institute Community Coalition
Advisory Committee. On Friday, January 16, the Edel Caregiver Institute (ECI) hosted a panel discussion for working caregivers. The event was well attended with over 60 audience members, many of whom are members of the local Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM). The event was moderated by Diana Morrison, a well-respected small business owner and working family caregiving. Other speakers included experts in workplace and human resources.
5. Minnesota (North St. Paul): The Metropolitan Caregiver Service
Collaborative completed their event of a standalone session at the state Women's
Economic Security Summit on January 29th. The coalition was excited to see their group's message reach a wider audience and were pleased by the participation of State Representative Paul Thissen, who was also in attendance.
6. New Mexico (Statewide): New Mexico Direct Caregivers Coalition. Caregivers from throughout New Mexico who serve people with developmental disabilities attended the event, which was part of the larger Disability Rights Awareness Day, hosted by The Arc of New Mexico and Disability Rights New Mexico. The two-day session developed leadership and advocacy skills of care recipients so they can advocate on issues affecting them with their legislators. Caregivers visited their state legislators in support of a bill to recognize Disability Awareness Month, sponsored by Senator Jerry Ortiz y Pino of Albuquerque.
7. New York (New York City): The New York City Family Caregiver Coalition held a poster session at their Annual Caregiver Conference on January 20th that prepared advocates for outreach at the New York legislature in February. The coalition is also looking forward to an upcoming press conference with New York City Comptroller Scott Stringer to highlight the needs of working family caregivers.
8. Florida (Jacksonville): Caregiver Coalition of Northeast Florida. The event scheduled for this February 23rd will include a town hall meeting and panel discussion on improving work environments for family caregivers.
We're thankful for support from Pfizer for these important events and look forward to hearing more feedback and posting pictures taken at some of these inspiring events!
Upcoming Events in Caregiving & Aging
Family Caregiving Tele-Town Hall, with White House Conf. on Aging
February 26, 2015 | Online at 3pm ET
Join us for a discussion with the 2015 White House Conference on Aging Executive Director Nora Super for a Family Caregiving Tele-Town Hall on Thursday, February 26th at 3pm ET. Guest speakers will include Ms. Super, Alliance President & CEO Gail Gibson Hunt, and Caregiver Action Network CEO John Schall. Register here.
9th Annual National Conference of Caregiving Coalitions
March 24, 2015 | Chicago, IL
Please join the National Alliance for Caregiving in Chicago, Illinois for the 9th Annual National Conference of Caregiving Coalitions. Our one day meeting will focus on building capacity and energizing advocates from across the conference. Register at http://asaging.org/aia12 and be sure to select "From Caring to Caregiver Advocate: The Annual Caregiving Coalitions Conference."
2015 Aging in America Conference (American Society on Aging)
March 23 - 27, 2015 | Chicago, IL
The 2015 Aging in America Conference, March 23-27 in at the Hyatt Regency Chicago, is THE place to connect with colleagues and leaders from around the nation, learn from world-changing leaders in the field of aging, and grow your skills, knowledge and impact in order to bring better services and products to the aging population. Learn more here.
2015 n4a Conference - Answers on Aging
July 11-15, 2015 | Philadelphia, PA
Join n4a in Philadelphia for its 40th Annual Conference & Tradeshow to see the most innovative policies, programs and services that assist older adults, persons with disabilities and their caregivers lead independent and productive lives showcased. Registration is now open - learn more here.
6th International Carers Conference
September 3-6, 2015 | Gothenburg, Sweden
Themes for the International Carers Conference include: the health, social care, and well-being of caregivers; combining work and care; paying for care; and technology-enabled care and support. The call for abstracts is now open - submit your paper here.
If you would like the Alliance's President and CEO, Gail Gibson Hunt, to present on caregiving issues at your upcoming conference, please emailstephanie@caregiving.org.
It's no secret that today's family caregiver has a lot on their plate. Whether caring for an aging parent or a loved one with a disability, more than 65 million people in the United States alone provide unpaid support as family caregivers. The typical caregiver gives an average of 20 hours each week caring for their loved one. Caregivers often feel stretched to manage their own needs and those of others.
Already overwhelmed, a caregiver may be hesitant to investigate clinical trials. Without information about the purpose of clinical trials, many may be concerned that a clinical trial will create one more thing for the "Caregiving To-Do" list. However, caregivers shouldn't be hesitant, because clinical trials can offer hope for both patients and families. Two populations in particular stand out. Read more here.
Legislation & Advocacy Updates
Federal Executive Branch
In early January, the White House announced the dates and locations for the five regional forums that will precede the decennial White House Conference on Aging held in July 2015. The location and dates for these forums are as follows: Tampa (Feb 19), Phoenix (Mar 31), Seattle (April 9), Cleveland (April 27), and Boston (May 9).
The President released the federal proposed budget for FY2016, which included an increase in funding for the National Family Caregiver Support program and a new family support initiative under the Administration for Community living. Learn more about the President's proposals for older Americans and persons with disabilities here.
U.S. Congress
The Older Americans Act reauthorization bill (S. 192) is moving quickly through the Senate, after passing through markup last month in the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions committee. Advocates are hopeful that the bill will move towards approval in the Senate in the coming months.
Members of the congressional Energy & Commerce Committee released a discussion draft for the bipartisan 21st Century Cures initiative. The proposed legislation would create new incentives for innovation in the biomedical and pharmaceutical space, as well as fast track treatments for diseases that have unmet needs.
State Legislative Developments
The state of Oregon is working on implementing free training for family caregivers so that they can better "...understand how to best manage the care, services, and support for the people they care for and love, ultimately helping improve the lives and care of aging Oregonians." Passed by the Oregon Legislature in 2014, Oregon Care Partners trainings are free and open to the public. With 14.3 percent of Oregon's population over the age of 65 and 27.9 percent over the age of 55, aging issues and the role that family caregivers play in it will continue to be a critical issue in the months and years ahead.
Legislation introduced last month in North Dakota seeks to solidify patient rights to identify family caregivers as a part of their hospital care team. House Bill 1279 creates and enacts chapter 23-48 of the North Dakota Century Code which allows patients the opportunity to identify their specific caregiver within the first 24 hours of admission as well as before being released or transferred to another hospital or facility.
On January 22, Connecticut State Senate Democrats held a press conference urging the Legislature to pass the CARE act which would ensure that caregivers are given follow-up care instructions when a patient is discharged from the hospital. If it is passed, Connecticut would become the third state in the nation to pass such a law.
Advocates in Hawaii were disappointed this month as lawmakers indefinitely postponed the CARE Act. While opponents agreed with the intent of the legislation, the bill faced criticism from hospitals in the area. Read more here.
Caregiving Coalitions Corner
Charlotte Dodge, Outreach Fellow
Several of our selected Caregiving Coalitions held their Working Family Caregivers Champions events this past month and so far we've received some excellent feedback on events. Here is an update on recently past events and those that will be coming up as we head into February:
1. Tennessee (Memphis): Caregivers Respite/Caregiver's Rest conference held a Listening Session on January 24th that identified the specific needs of working caregivers in the community. Many family caregivers shared their stories with member of the community and U.S. Representative Steve Cohen gave remarks.
2. Virginia (Culpeper, Fauquier, Madison, Orange, and Rappahannock
Counties): Aging Together The town hall meeting of family caregivers and the Culpeper Chambers of Commerce took place on January 22nd, and we hear there was a fruitful discussion between family caregivers and the local business community. More town-hall events with the Chambers of Commerce for Fauquier, Madison, Orange, and Rappahannock counties are scheduled over the coming weeks in February.
3. Wisconsin (Sheboygan County): Family Caregivers Coalition in Sheboygan
County. The 'Champions Who Care' event on January 30th was a "HUGE success," according to Kathy Manny, the local coalition leader. Over fifty people participated at the event, and the coalition honored Louie Gentine, CEO of Sargento Foods; Adam Payne, Sheboygan County administrator; State Senator and Sheboygan County Supervisor Devin LeMahieu; and Jon Rost, president of Hearthstone Wisconsin, as champions. Additionally, Jennifer Garner, regional representative for Senator Tammy Baldwin read a letter from Baldwin congratulating the coalition on its work.
4. Georgia (Savannah): The Edel Caregiver Institute Community Coalition
Advisory Committee. On Friday, January 16, the Edel Caregiver Institute (ECI) hosted a panel discussion for working caregivers. The event was well attended with over 60 audience members, many of whom are members of the local Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM). The event was moderated by Diana Morrison, a well-respected small business owner and working family caregiving. Other speakers included experts in workplace and human resources.
5. Minnesota (North St. Paul): The Metropolitan Caregiver Service
Collaborative completed their event of a standalone session at the state Women's
Economic Security Summit on January 29th. The coalition was excited to see their group's message reach a wider audience and were pleased by the participation of State Representative Paul Thissen, who was also in attendance.
6. New Mexico (Statewide): New Mexico Direct Caregivers Coalition. Caregivers from throughout New Mexico who serve people with developmental disabilities attended the event, which was part of the larger Disability Rights Awareness Day, hosted by The Arc of New Mexico and Disability Rights New Mexico. The two-day session developed leadership and advocacy skills of care recipients so they can advocate on issues affecting them with their legislators. Caregivers visited their state legislators in support of a bill to recognize Disability Awareness Month, sponsored by Senator Jerry Ortiz y Pino of Albuquerque.
7. New York (New York City): The New York City Family Caregiver Coalition held a poster session at their Annual Caregiver Conference on January 20th that prepared advocates for outreach at the New York legislature in February. The coalition is also looking forward to an upcoming press conference with New York City Comptroller Scott Stringer to highlight the needs of working family caregivers.
8. Florida (Jacksonville): Caregiver Coalition of Northeast Florida. The event scheduled for this February 23rd will include a town hall meeting and panel discussion on improving work environments for family caregivers.
We're thankful for support from Pfizer for these important events and look forward to hearing more feedback and posting pictures taken at some of these inspiring events!
Upcoming Events in Caregiving & Aging
Family Caregiving Tele-Town Hall, with White House Conf. on Aging
February 26, 2015 | Online at 3pm ET
Join us for a discussion with the 2015 White House Conference on Aging Executive Director Nora Super for a Family Caregiving Tele-Town Hall on Thursday, February 26th at 3pm ET. Guest speakers will include Ms. Super, Alliance President & CEO Gail Gibson Hunt, and Caregiver Action Network CEO John Schall. Register here.
9th Annual National Conference of Caregiving Coalitions
March 24, 2015 | Chicago, IL
Please join the National Alliance for Caregiving in Chicago, Illinois for the 9th Annual National Conference of Caregiving Coalitions. Our one day meeting will focus on building capacity and energizing advocates from across the conference. Register at http://asaging.org/aia12 and be sure to select "From Caring to Caregiver Advocate: The Annual Caregiving Coalitions Conference."
2015 Aging in America Conference (American Society on Aging)
March 23 - 27, 2015 | Chicago, IL
The 2015 Aging in America Conference, March 23-27 in at the Hyatt Regency Chicago, is THE place to connect with colleagues and leaders from around the nation, learn from world-changing leaders in the field of aging, and grow your skills, knowledge and impact in order to bring better services and products to the aging population. Learn more here.
2015 n4a Conference - Answers on Aging
July 11-15, 2015 | Philadelphia, PA
Join n4a in Philadelphia for its 40th Annual Conference & Tradeshow to see the most innovative policies, programs and services that assist older adults, persons with disabilities and their caregivers lead independent and productive lives showcased. Registration is now open - learn more here.
6th International Carers Conference
September 3-6, 2015 | Gothenburg, Sweden
Themes for the International Carers Conference include: the health, social care, and well-being of caregivers; combining work and care; paying for care; and technology-enabled care and support. The call for abstracts is now open - submit your paper here.
If you would like the Alliance's President and CEO, Gail Gibson Hunt, to present on caregiving issues at your upcoming conference, please emailstephanie@caregiving.org.
STAY CONNECTED
National Alliance for Caregiving
4720 Montgomery Lane, Suite 205
Bethesda, Maryland 20814 United States
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