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 Family
Caregivers – America’s Invisible Workforce of 50 Million
Kensington, MD, 2004 – National Family Caregivers Month is celebrated in
November to recognize more than 50 million family caregivers across the
country who provide services valued at $257 billion annually. Family
caregivers form an invisible healthcare workforce and literally underpin
our healthcare system by providing approximately 80% of all homecare
services.
Family caregivers sacrifice time and wages to care for loved
ones, and over their lifetime can lose an average of $660,000 in
combined Social Security benefits, pension benefits, and wages. National
Family Caregivers Month, sponsored by the National Family Caregivers
Association, is designed to focus on the many challenges facing family
caregivers, draw support for stronger public policy to address family caregiving issues, and raise awareness about community programs that
support family caregivers.
“The three most critical issues facing family caregivers today include
advocating for stronger public policies affecting the day to day life of
family caregivers, educating the caregivers about the importance of
maintaining their own good health and well being, and providing
information to help family caregivers keep their loved ones safe,” says
Suzanne Mintz, president and co-founder of NFCA.
“NFC Month is also a
time to thank, support, and recognize the services family caregivers
provide every day of the year.”
National Family Caregivers Association (NFCA), whose mission is to
improve the overall quality of life of family caregivers, is a grass
roots organization that educates, supports, empowers and speaks up for
the millions of Americans caring for chronically ill, aged or disabled
loved ones. NFCA is the only organization dedicated to family caregiving
that reaches across the boundaries of different diagnoses, different
relationships, and different life stages to address the common needs and
concerns of all family caregivers.
The ongoing theme for NFC Month is “Share the Caring.” To learn more
about how you can become a member, support NFCA, or purchase educational
and promotional NFC Month materials, please call NFCA at 800-896-3650 or
visit www.thefamilycaregiver.org.
About NFCA The National Family Caregivers Association (NFCA) exists to
support family caregivers and to speak out publicly for caregivers'
needs. NFCA espouses a philosophy of self-advocacy and self-care that is
predicated on the belief that caregivers who choose to take charge of
their lives, and see caregiving as but one of its facets, are in a
position to be happier and healthier individuals. They are then able to
have a higher quality of life and to make a more positive contribution
to the well being of their care recipient, all of which has a positive
impact on society and health care costs. Through its services in the
areas of education and information, support and validation, public
awareness and advocacy, NFCA strives to minimize the disparity between a
caregiver's quality of life and that of mainstream Americans. |