The Technical Assistance Centers are a partnership between
Family Caregiver Alliance and the ARCH National Respite Network and Resource Center.
The Centers provide technical assistance to the Aging and Lifespan Respite Networks on
caregiver and lifespan respite program development.
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Volume I, Number 1
January 25, 2010 |
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You can further shape the content of the Newsletter and the activities of the Technical Assistance Centers by telling us about your areas of interest.
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Key Feature
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Greetings!
Assistant Secretary for Aging Kathy Greenlee welcomes the Aging and Lifespan Respite Networks to the first edition of the Newsletter! Read more...
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Research & Practice
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Caregiving in the U.S. 2009 Released
The National Alliance for Caregiving, in collaboration with AARP, recently released Caregiving in the U.S. 2009. Read more...
Advancing Advance Directives
Article in Clinical Geriatrics discusses the importance of doctor-patient communication about end-of-life care. Read more...
Guides Available in English, Spanish and Chinese from Next Step in Care
Guides and checklists for family caregivers and health care providers to improve safer patient transitions between care settings are available in multiple languages. Read more...
Innovations Clearinghouse on Family Caregiving
For more research based and research informed practices, visit FCA's Innovations Clearinghouse/Online Technical Assistance Center. Search the Clearinghouse to identify best practices, specific tools and policy & advocacy efforts; connect with fellow professionals from the aging networks; and request specialized technical assistance. Read more...
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Lifespan Respite News
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Lifespan Respite: Lifespan Respite Care Act, Local Infrastructures and Model Programs
Most of us in the caregiving field know what respite is--temporary relief from caregiving responsibilities for family caregivers who are caring for those with disabilities, chronic or terminal illnesses, of any age. Lifespan Respite, however, may be an unfamiliar term, even though it was first conceived back in 1997 in Oregon, and quickly spread to a number of other states. Read more... | |
Family Caregiver Alliance | National Center on Caregiving
180 Montgomery Street, Suite 1100
San Francisco, CA 94104
(800) 445-8106
www.caregiver.org
ARCH National Respite Network and Resource Center
4016 Oxford Street
Annandale, VA 22003
(703) 256-2084
www.archrespite.org
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This project is supported, in part, under a grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration on Aging. Grantees undertaking projects under government sponsorship are encouraged to express freely their findings and conclusions. These contents, however, do not necessarily represent the policy of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and endorsement by the Federal Government should not be assumed.
©2010 Family Caregiver Alliance. All rights reserved.
The
National Center on Caregiving at Family Caregiver Alliance works to
advance the development of high-quality and cost-effective policies and
programs for caregivers in every state in the country. The National
Center is a central source of information and technical assistance on
family caregiving for policymakers, health and service providers,
program developers, funders, media and families. For questions or
further information about the National Center on Caregiving, visit the Family Caregiver Alliance website at www.caregiver.org.
To subscribe or unsubscribe to the Newsletter of the Technical Assistance Centers, use the following link: www.caregiver.org/caregiver/jsp/content_node.jsp?nodeid=2366
Or, contact Family Caregiver Alliance using our toll-free phone number: (800) 445-8106
Your
subscription information is used only for the purpose of improving this
service and tailoring it to the needs of its audience. Information
provided to us will not be shared with any other organization, agency,
corporation, entity or third party.
The Newsletter of the Technical Assistance Centers is a
publication of the National Center on Caregiving at Family Caregiver
Alliance, 180 Montgomery Street, Suite 1100, San Francisco, CA 94104.
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Key Feature
Greetings!
Welcome to the first edition of The Newsletter of the Technical Assistance Centers for Caregiver Programs and Lifespan Respite, a product of the Family Caregiver Alliance—National Center on Caregiving and the ARCH National Respite Network and Resource Center, with funding from the U.S. Administration on Aging (AoA).
Supporting caregivers is at the heart of President Obama's commitment to supporting families and promoting a work/family balance. Since 2000, the National Family Caregiver Support Program (NFCSP) has served as a platform for the AoA to focus specifically on the needs of the family caregiver. In September 2009, the launch of the Lifespan Respite Care Program afforded AoA the opportunity to further expand its partnerships with the disability community and other networks to strengthen the delivery of services to caregivers across the lifespan.
Despite the growth of the NFCSP and respite programs designed to support caregivers across the lifespan, the Aging Services and Respite Care networks are continually looking to keep pace with program and competency developments, ensure seamless access for caregivers, and improve targeting so those most isolated and in greatest need are served by programs incorporating the latest approaches to service delivery. The Technical Assistance Centers will collaborate to translate what is currently known about the design and delivery of cutting-edge caregiver services and supports into practical tools and resources needed by program administrators and front-line staff.
I encourage you to use and share the information contained in this and future issues of the Newsletter along with web-based information, information databases, training materials and opportunities for specialized technical assistance and training on a variety of topics related to program and professional development.
Sincerely,
Kathy Greenlee
Assistant Secretary for Aging
U.S. Administration on Aging
Upcoming Events
NCC Hosts Ceremony to Honor the 2009 Caregiving Legacy Awards Recipients at 2010 Aging in America Conference
March 18
The National Center on Caregiving (NCC) at Family Caregiver Alliance (FCA) will host a breakfast ceremony at the 2010 Aging in America Conference this March in Chicago to honor the recipients of the 2009 Rosalinde Gilbert Innovations in Caregiving Legacy Awards. The event will be held on the morning of Thursday, March 18 at 7:45 a.m. Program staff will present and offer insight on the programs' success. The audience will have the opportunity to receive information on the Awards program and how to apply for this year's awards.
Three Caregiving Legacy Awards (of $20,000 each) are offered annually to government agencies, non profit organizations and universities for innovation in caregiver support in three categories: Creative Expression; Policy & Advocacy; and Diverse/Multicultural Communities. The Caregiving Legacy Awards are administered by NCC with funding from The Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert Foundation.
To see the 2009 award recipients, click here.
To register for the conference, visit:
Aging in America 2010.
U.S. Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky to Speak at Session Hosted by FCA and NAC at 2010 Aging in America Conference
March 15
The National Alliance for Caregiving (NAC) and the National Center on Caregiving (NCC) at Family Caregiver Alliance (FCA) are hosting sessions at the 2010 Aging in America Conference focused on mobilizing family caregivers and caregiving coalitions in a climate dominated by economic downturn, health care reform and an aging population. U.S. Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky, a leading voice in health care reform and sponsor of the Retooling the Healthcare Workforce for an Aging America Act, will kick off the day's events with a presentation at 9:30 a.m. The sessions will be held Monday, March 15, 2010 at the Hyatt Regency in Chicago. The session hosted by NAC, the "Fourth Annual Conference for Caregiving Coalitions: Have we Turned the Corner? The Economic Downturn and its Impact on Caregiving Coalitions," will be held from 9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. The session hosted by FCA, "Making Our Voices Heard: Mobilizing Family Caregivers as Advocates," will be held from 2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. Aging in America, the annual conference of the American Society on Aging and the National Council on Aging, is being held March 15 – 19, 2010 in Chicago. Participants are encouraged to sign up for the NAC and FCA sessions, but pre-registration for those sessions is NOT required. All are welcome. To register for the conference, visit:
Aging in America 2010.
AoA Hosts Older Americans Act Reauthorization Forums
February and March
The U.S. Administration on Aging (AoA) plans to convene a series of Reauthorization Listening Forums early in 2010 to get input from the aging network, stakeholders, policymakers and the public on issues to be considered for the 2011 reauthorization of the Older Americans Act. The forums will be held in Dallas on February 18, 2010, in the Washington, DC metro area on February 25, 2010, and in San Francisco on March 3, 2010. In addition, a separate listening forum will be held at the Aging in America Conference in Chicago on March 16, 2010. For more information, visit: U.S. Administration on Aging
DCoE Hosts Webinars Specific to Caregivers of Service Members
January 28
The Department of Defense Center of Excellence (DCoE) for Psychological Health is hosting monthly webinars open to professionals and family caregivers to provide new perspectives on the needs of family caregivers of service members. The next webinar is scheduled for January 28, 2010 at 1:00 p.m. EST and is titled Support for Family Caregivers. To register for this webinar or for more information, please click here.
ARCH National Respite Network and Resource Center Sponsors Lifespan Respite Summits in DE, MN, MA, MO and PA
March
ARCH National Respite Network and Resource Center sponsors Lifespan Respite Summits in DE, MN, MA, MO and PA to provide training and technical assistance on state coalition building and best practices in Lifespan Respite development and implementation.
The dates for the summits have tentatively scheduled for:
Minnesota: March 12
Pennsylvania: March 22
Missouri: March 24
Massachusetts: March 26
Delaware: TBA
For more information click here
or contact Jill Kagan at [email protected].
Georgia Holds Respite Summit
January 29
The purpose of the Summit, hosted by Georgia Community Solutions, Georgia Easter Seals, the GA Council on Developmental Disabilities and several other agencies, is to bring providers and other interested parties in Georgia together to discuss the future of respite and how to collaborate to ensure that respite continues to be provided for Georgia's families. Session topics include: licensing for respite, Lifespan Respite and next steps, NOW and COMP waiver and other respite funding in Georgia. To register for the summit and for more information download the summit brochure here.
South Carolina Holds Annual Respite Conference
February 4
South Carolina's Respite Coalition is convening its third annual respite conference, Respite Solutions 2010, on February 4. The one day event will focus on faith-based respite. Keynote speakers include Carlos Gibbons and Sherry Fields. South Carolina Respite Coalition is the only statewide organization working for Lifespan respite for all family caregivers. To register for the conference and for more information download the conference brochure here.
International Respite Conference
June 9-11, 2010, Galway, Ireland
The International Short Break Association (ISBA) is hosting the 7th International Short Break (Respite) Conference at the National University of Ireland in Galway, Ireland, June 9-11, 2010. The theme is: Short Breaks: A Path to Inclusion - Whose Needs? Whose Rights? What Choices? This important biennial 3 day Conference is the only international forum for the sharing of innovation, best practice and policy development in the field of short breaks/respite care for people with disabilities.
Keynote Speakers:
Professor Roy McConkey, University of Ulster, Northern Ireland
Professor Robyn Munford, Massey University, New Zealand
This biennial conference will explore all aspects of Short Breaks for people of every age with a disability. The conference will draw on the United Nations Article 1--Living independently and being included in the community as a framework for addressing inclusivity. The conference will address the effectiveness and appropriateness of short breaks and respite measures in facilitating all persons with a disability to full enjoyment, inclusion, choice and participation in the service they receive.
For more information and to register online, please click here.
Research and Practice
Caregiving in the U.S. 2009 Released
The National Alliance for Caregiving, in collaboration with AARP, recently released Caregiving in the U.S. 2009. Replicating similar studies conducted in 2004 and 1997, this report details the prevalence, implications and costs of caregiving and the demographics of caregivers. According to the data, an estimated 65.7 million people served as an unpaid family caregiver to an adult or child in the previous twelve months. Caregivers tend to be female (66%), are an average age of 48 years old, most often care for a parent (36%), and seven in ten care for someone 50 years and older. For more information, visit:
National Alliance for Caregiving.
Advancing Advance Directives
An article in the November 2009 issue of Clinical Geriatrics (Volume 17, Number 11) discusses the importance of doctor-patient communication about end-of-life care and the benefits of advance directives in the context of health care reform. The article, Advancing Advance Directives by Richard Stefanacci, provides information about Do-Not-Resuscitate forms, the Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment (POLST) Paradigm program and hospice. For more information, visit:
Clinical Geriatrics.
Guides Available in English, Spanish and Chinese from Next Step in Care
Guides and checklists for family caregivers and health care providers to improve safer patient transitions between care settings are available in multiple languages from the Next Step in Care website.
Next Step in Care is a national campaign from the United Hospital Fund which aims to engage medical and long term care facilities, home health agencies and patient advocacy groups and organizations to address a range of transition-related issues.
Learn more about the campaign at www.nextstepincare.org.
Innovations Clearinghouse on Family Caregiving
For more research based and research informed practices, visit FCA's Innovations Clearinghouse/Online Technical Assistance Center. Search the Clearinghouse to identify best practices, specific tools and policy & advocacy efforts; connect with fellow professionals from the aging networks; and request specialized technical assistance.
Lifespan Respite News
Lifespan Respite: Lifespan Respite Care Act, Local Infrastructures and Model Programs
Welcome to Lifespan Respite 101
Most of us in the caregiving field know what respite is—temporary relief from caregiving responsibilities for family caregivers who are caring for those with disabilities, chronic or terminal illnesses, of any age. Lifespan Respite, however, may be an unfamiliar term, even though it was first conceived back in 1997 in Oregon, and quickly spread to a number of other states. The federal Lifespan Respite Care Act, enacted in 2006, and funded for the first time in 2009, defines lifespan respite as "coordinated systems of accessible, community-based respite care services for family caregivers of children and adults with special needs." The goal is to help families navigate the maze of respite funding streams, eligibility criteria, and fragmented services. The law requires state grantees to:
- develop or enhance lifespan respite programs at the state and local levels;
- provide planned and emergency respite for family caregivers of children and adults;
- train and recruit respite workers and volunteers;
- provide information to caregivers about available respite and support services; and
- assist caregivers in gaining access to such services
Prior to passage of the federal legislation, from 1997 to 2000, three states enacted state legislation to implement Lifespan Respite Programs (Oregon, Nebraska, Wisconsin), which establish state and local infrastructures for developing, providing, coordinating and improving access for respite to residents of the state regardless of age or disability. Oklahoma state agencies voluntarily collaborated to implement a statewide Lifespan Respite voucher program without state legislation. These states were pioneers in developing and refining the concept of Lifespan Respite and serve as models for best practices.
Since then, state respite coalitions have been working on developing statewide systems of respite. Some state respite coalitions, such as those in Delaware, Alabama, and Tennessee, function as State Lifespan Respite Programs by acting as a statewide coordinating entity of entry for respite services, offering vouchers or providing respite services directly to families who do not qualify for existing respite programs, and/or recruiting and training providers and volunteers. However, only three other states have passed state legislation authorizing statewide lifespan respite programs. Arizona passed its state lifespan respite law in 2007 and Texas followed suit in June 2009. Michigan passed Lifespan Respite legislation in July 2004, but a program was never funded. Kansas and Illinois introduced legislation, but these bills were never passed.
Each state lifespan respite program has been adapted to meet their individual state needs, but the defining characteristic of each is the statewide, coordinated approach to ensure respite services for those in need. First and foremost, state systems identify all the possible public and private respite funding streams and resources available at the state level and work toward reducing the barriers brought on by disparate funding streams, restrictive eligibility criteria, and fragmented service delivery methods. The state program then focuses on maximizing the use of existing resources and services.
Some of the lifespan respite programs have established community-based networks that rely on the development of local partnerships to build and ensure respite capacity. These local partnerships include family caregivers, providers, state and federally funded programs, area agencies on aging, non-profit organizations, health services, schools, local business, faith communities and volunteers.
In all model Lifespan states other than Oklahoma, regional or local networks are the central point of contact for families and caregivers seeking respite and related support regardless of age, income, race, ethnicity, special need or situation. Respite stipends, if available, may be limited by income eligibility. Providing coordinated and integrated respite system for families to access respite information and services is crucial to assisting families in helping themselves.
Services typically offered by Lifespan Respite Programs are provision of public awareness information to the community, building diverse respite partnerships, recruitment and training of paid and volunteer respite providers, connecting and matching families with respite payment resources and providers, coordinating respite related training for providers and caregivers, identifying gaps in services and creating new respite resources for those who are unserved.
With the availability of federal funding from the US Administration on Aging in 2009, twelve states were awarded first-time federal Lifespan Respite grants on a competitive basis to build or enhance state Lifespan Respite programs (AL, AZ, CT, DC, IL, NC, NH, NV, RI, SC, TN, and TX). Each grantee will look to the models that came before them for best practices and will develop new and innovative approaches to designing systems most appropriate for their state's own respite needs, geography and population. Training and technical assistance for the growing Lifespan Respite Network is available from the ARCH National Respite Network and Resource Center.
© 2010 Family Caregiver Alliance. All Rights Reserved. No portion of this newsletter may be reproduced without the express permission of Family Caregiver Alliance.
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