National Alliance for Caregiving – Tuesday, 28 January 2014

National Alliance for Caregiving – Tuesday, 28 January 2014

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Caregiving Coalitions Unite to Improve Long-Term Care for Older Adults

The National Alliance for Caregiving announces the 8th Annual National Conference for Caregiving Coalitions in San Diego, California

Bethedsa, MD: The National Alliance for Caregiving (the "Alliance") has announced its 8th Annual National Conference for Caregiving Coalitions to take place in conjunction with the 2014 Annual Conference of the American Society on Aging in San Diego, California.  The conference has just received generous support from the Archstone Foundation.

The grant funding will provide support for the Alliance's continuing annual tradition to bring together state and local caregiving coalitions that support family caregivers across the United States.  Caregiving coalitions often provide education and respite care to family members, friends, and neighbors who provide unpaid care to patients.  Coalitions may also lead state and local legislative initiatives to bring caregiving issues to the attention of lawmakers.  Previous conferences have hosted, in total, more than 800 caregiving advocates from across the country.

The national conference provides an opportunity for coalition members to connect with others in the caregiving community and share best practices.  This year's conference will be hosted on March 12, during the ASA Annual Meeting. The event will be open to the press.

"Caregivers are the backbone of our nation's long-term care system.  Our network of state and local caregiving coalitions provides a voice for over 66 million family are giversnationwide," explained Gail Gibson Hunt, the Alliance's President and Chief Executive Officer.  "We are grateful for the support from the Archstone Foundation, and our other funders, Genentech and Pfizer, which will enable us to once again host a national forum for state and local caregiving advocates to share best practices and new innovations in caregiving," said Hunt.

The Alliance, in supporting a network of over 90 state and local caregiving coalitions, offers a variety of educational tools to enhance coalition advocacy and education.  Each quarter, the Alliance hosts informational webinars for the coalitions on topics related to growing the coalitions' work, including development, legislative advocacy, and the use of technology.  The Alliance also hosts a national listserv of more than 2,000 caregiving coalitions and aging advocates that sends out weekly information on issues related to family caregiving.

For more information about the conference, visit http://www.caregiving.org/coalitions.  You can also reach out to the Alliance's Manager of Programs and Communications, C. Grace Whiting at gracewhiting@caregiving.org or (301) 718-8444.

About the National Alliance for Caregiving:  The National Alliance for Caregiving is a non-profit coalition of over 50 national organizations focused on family caregiving.  In providing research and education on family caregiving, the Alliance has served America's nearly 66 million family caregivers since 1996.  Learn more at www.caregiving.org.

About the Archstone Foundation:  Established in 1986, Archstone Foundation is a private, non-profit foundation whose mission is to prepare society for the growing needs of an aging society. Under the leadership of president and CEO Joseph F. Prevratil, J.D., Archstone grants up to $5 million annually, primarily in Southern California.

###

Contact:  C. Grace Whiting                 

Manager, Programs & Communications

National Alliance for Caregiving

Phone: (301) 718-8444

Email: gracewhiting@caregiving.org

-------

National Alliance for Caregiving

4720 Montgomery Lane, Suite 205

Bethesda, MD 20814 United States

-------