Congressional Laws Provide Resources to Support Family Caregivers

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Public Health Policy
• Caregiver Support

Background:

• Over 70% of adults aged 65+ will require long-term care.
• Over 53 million Americans provide unpaid care, valued at $500 billion.
• Family caregivers are integral to the healthcare system.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce resources and recommendations supporting family caregivers.
• To inform gerontological nurses about available services for caregivers.
• To advance the national caregiving strategy.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of recommendations from the RAISE and SGRG Acts Advisory Councils.
• Cataloguing publicly available resources for family caregivers.
• Dissemination of information to gerontological nursing professionals.

Main Results:

• Development of 48 foundational recommendations for a national caregiving strategy.
• Creation of a publicly accessible catalogue of resources.
• Identification of opportunities for gerontological nurses to enhance caregiver support.

Conclusions:

• New legislative acts and resulting resources provide a foundation for supporting family caregivers.
• Gerontological nurses can leverage these resources to improve care coordination.
• Enhanced support for family caregivers is crucial for the well-being of care recipients.