Hot Mommas who want to “do it all” often don’t have a choice. They HAVE to do it all. Caregiving is an example. I’ve witnessed my mother flying down to South Carolina every other week for months to take care of her aunt and uncle. My grandmother benefited from the care provided by all of my many local family members, and nurses who became adopted family. It matters to our families, and it matters to our workplaces. According to a Family Caregiver Alliance article (quoting P. Francese of American Demographics), the number of women 55 and older in the workforce is expected to increase by 52% between 2000 and 2010, from 6.4 million to 10.1 million. As workforce participation increases, caregiving could pose even greater financial challenges for many women workers.
Quick facts on caregiving:
1. Most older adults (65%) with long-term care needs rely on friends and family for those needs.
2. The majority of the informal caregiving (59% to 75%) is provided by women.
3. The value of informal caregiving provided by women in our country ranges from $148 billion to $188 billion annually.
The LEAST we can give these people is a couple thousand bucks. Here is a great program recognizing caregivers and everything they do: http://www.rosalynncarter.org/08mattie/
“RCI Accepting Nominations for Mattie J. T. Stepanek Caregiving Scholarship
Caregivers are often viewed as expendable resources in systems of care. As a result, many caregivers are overlooked, ill-prepared and will ultimately burn-out. The Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregiving promotes the view that family, professional, and paraprofessional caregivers are the most valuable asset in any system of care, and they should be cultivated, preserved, developed, and valued.
The purpose of the Mattie J. T. Stepanek Caregiving Scholarship is to provide financial assistance to family, professional, or paraprofessional caregivers of any age who are seeking training or education in specific skills, procedures and strategies that lead to more effective care at the same time that they serve to protect the health and well-being of the caregiver.
Four $2,000 scholarships will be awarded. Deadline for application is September 15, 2008. Visit the Rosalynn Carter Institute website for criteria and application form. “
Sources from Family Caregiving Alliance article:
1. U.S. Administration on Aging. (2000, Fall). America’s families care: A report on the needs of America’s family caregivers. Retrieved (March 26, 2003) from http://www.aoa.gov/carenetwork/report.html
2. Arno, P. S. (2002, February). The economic value of informal caregiving, U.S., 2000. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry, Florida.
3. Calculation based on estimates of women caregivers as a percentage of all caregivers ranging from 59% to 75% and findings from: Arno, P. S. (2002, February). The economic value of informal caregiving, U.S., 2000. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry, Florida.
If you are or will be in a caregiving situation, here are some great places to start:
1. The Family Caregiver Alliance (see the state by state navigator, long distance caregiver handbook, and telecaregiving workshop audio archive).
2. Family Caregiving 101 developed by the National Alliance for Caregiving and the National Family Caregivers Association
3. Your local Agency on Aging – a network of area agencies on aging resulting from the Older Americans Act of 1967. Typical services include Meals on Wheels, Friendly Visiting, Telephone Reassurance, and assistance with prescription aid, tax reduction, and other services.
4. National Association of Geriatric Care Managers – Care managers are like general contractors for caregiving. They are particularly helpful for long distance caregiving.
5. Disease/issue-specific groups (e.g. Alzheimer’s association – a powerhouse for research, outreach, and caregiver support www.alz.org). Consider being on the board of one of these organizations.
6. The big 2: The National Council on the Aging and AARP are the biggest and best known nonprofits serving older populations. (Check out www.BenefitsCheckUp.org administered by the National Council on the Aging. I had the honor of being involved in the early-stage planning of this service which helps seniors claim benefits).
7. Talk with a financial planner EARLY about long term care insurance, planning financially for care, and other tools such as reverse mortgages. Baby boomers are infamous in the eldercare field for their poor financial planning around their future care needs. Estate issues can be tough because people have to face their own mortality, however, try to get in a lawyer‘s office to talk about estate planning.