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Fall 2008 Volume 25, Number 3 www.caregiver.org (800) 445-8106 In This Issue Caregiver University National Focus California and the Bay Area Donate to FCA On the Web eUpdate Archives A wealth of information  for you to click on and browse. More... TeleCaregiving Audio Archive Sound caregiving advice from expert instructors. More... Lotsa Helping Hands Organizing your "help community". More...   Caregivers Count Too! An Online Toolkit to Help Practitioners Assess the Needs of Family Caregivers. More... Quick Links Family Caregiver Alliance Home FCA Fact Sheets & Publications Caregiving PolicyDigest California Caregiver Resource Centers California Caregiver e-Newsletter Link2Care Bay Area Support Groups Email Us Credits Editor Bonnie Lawrence Production & Graphics Melania Jusuf Contributors Evie Christou, Kris Coffey,  Amy Friedrich-Karnik, Amanda Hartrey, Jennifer Hull, Dr. Donald Jurivich, Melania Jusuf, Kathleen Kelly, Bonnie Lawrence, Sima Schoen, Mahi Sedaghi, Lana Sheridan Executive Director Kathleen A. Kelly Caregiver University Two New Fact Sheets from FCA We're pleased to add two new titles to the comprehensive library of Family Caregiver Alliance Fact Sheets for caregivers. Find out more about Age-Related Vision Loss and the Ambiguous Losses of caregiving. Read more... FAQ: Can I get paid to care for a family member? Very few government programs pay family members or friends on a regular basis to provide care. Sometimes, however, caregiving families can obtain some financial relief for specific purposes, such as for respite care or to purchase goods and services. Read more...   Geriatrics to the Rescue! Many people don't know about geriatric medicine--programs specially designed to maximize elderly function and reduce caregiver stress. Find out how they can help from Dr. Donald A. Jurivich. Read more... Reader's Corner Books we think you'll want to know about! Read more... National Focus   New Report Says Patient Care Must Be Redefined to Include Family Members In a first-of-its-kind collaboration, national organizations representing nurses, social workers, family caregivers and people age 50+ released a report calling for redefinition of good patient care to include those family members and friends who provide ongoing, often daily, care. Read more... Legislation to Watch Catch up on important state and federal legislation affecting caregivers. Read more... Clearinghouse Wide-ranging resources for caregivers and providers. Read more... California and the Bay Area State Budget Finally Passes The California Legislature was 85 days late in passing the state budget--the longest delay in history. What does this mean for caregiver services? Read more... FCA Elects Board of Directors FCA's Board conducted its annual election in early summer, electing members and officers for the 2008-2009 fiscal year. Read more... Learning Together FCA's Fall education line-up for families and caregivers. Read more... Bulletin Board News you can use: caregiving resources in the San Francisco Bay Area. Read more... Family Caregivers Get Time Out A field trip to the San Francisco Zoo offered these FCA support group members a break from their usual care responsibilities, at least for the afternoon. Read more... Support Groups These Bay Area groups offer advice, empathy and support. Call today to sign up! Read more... Support FCA's Memory Walk Team! Click here... © 2008 Family Caregiver Alliance. All Rights Reserved. No portion of this newsletter may be reproduced without the express permission of Family Caregiver Alliance. Family Caregiver Alliance | 180 Montgomery Street, Suite 1100, San Francisco, CA 94104 | (800) 445-8106 |

Two New Fact Sheets from FCA Cover Age-Related Vision Impairment and the Ambiguous Losses of Caregiving

We're pleased to add two new titles to the comprehensive library of Family Caregiver Alliance Fact Sheets for caregivers.

The Fact Sheet on Vision Loss discusses the most common causes of age-related vision impairment, with information on macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma and cataracts. Current approaches to treatment, the emotional toll of vision loss, and how families and caregivers can adapt their environment and help maintain independence for those affected by low vision are covered in straightforward, accessible language. A list of resources for further information is included as well.

The second Fact Sheet, Caregiving and Ambiguous Loss explores the conflicting feelings caregivers face as they care for someone with memory loss from Alzheimer's disease or another cause. The Fact Sheet outlines the source of the ambiguous losses, and includes specific coping strategies to deal with the roller-coaster emotions of caring for someone who is "here but not here."

The full collection of more than 60 FCA Fact Sheets is available at no charge online at http://caregiver.org/caregiver/jsp/publications.jsp?nodeid=345.

To order by mail, send $2 for each copy to Publication Orders, Family Caregiver Alliance, 180 Montgomery Street, Ste. 1100, San Francisco, CA 94104

© 2008 Family Caregiver Alliance

FAQ: Can I get paid to care for a family member?

Most likely you cannot, but there are some exceptions. If finances allow, sometimes families or care receivers set up a private system to pay their relative to offer care. Very few government programs pay family members or friends on a regular basis to provide care. Medicare (government health insurance for people age 65 and older) does not pay for community-based long-term care services, such as in-home care and adult day services, whether or not such services are provided by a direct care worker or a family member. Sometimes, however, caregiving families may obtain some financial relief for specific purposes, such as for respite care or to purchase goods and services.

For example, the National Family Caregiver Support Program (NFCSP), a federally supported program, provides services to help ease the financial burden of caregiving to a person 60 years and older. This program is available through your local department of aging or Area Agency on Aging. Services include information and assistance; counseling and support groups; education and training; respite care to give you a break; and may include supplemental services such as the purchase of consumable supplies, emergency response systems and home modifications.

Also, national disease-specific organizations such as CancerCare may offer grants or other financial assistance to people with the disease and their family caregivers. For more information about disease-specific organizations active in your area, click here to select your state.

Your state may offer additional support programs for family caregivers. For example, in some states, the Medicaid program (government health insurance for low-income people—this program may go by a different name in your state, such as Medi-Cal in California), will provide money to pay family members to provide care to Medicaid recipients. For information about the services your state provides to family caregivers and the benefits for which you or your family member may be eligible, visit:

• FCA's Family Care Navigator, a user-friendly database of publicly-funded caregiver support programs in all 50 States.
  
• Benefits Checkup, www.benefitscheckup.org an online service of the National Council on Aging to help older adults and their families find and enroll in benefit programs.
  
• Eldercare Locator, www.eldercare.gov connects older Americans (60+) and their caregivers with the local Area Agency on Aging's Family Caregiver Support Program, state Medicaid program, and community-based organizations.

© 2008 Family Caregiver Alliance

Geriatrics to the Rescue!

By Donald A. Jurivich, DO

Caregivers often "stumble" upon healthcare resources that might make a major difference in their and their family member's life. Many people, for instance don't know about geriatric medicine—programs specially designed to maximize elderly function and reduce caregiver stress. Geriatrics, or senior healthcare programs, often are led by a physician who has received special training in geriatric medicine; geriatricians have strong backgrounds in general or family medicine.

In Great Britain, geriatricians are so valued that they are assigned to specific neighborhoods and facilities. By contrast, a national shortage of geriatricians exists in the United States. Several reasons account for this shortage, and medical schools are partly to blame. They have only recently caught up with the specialty of geriatrics. Slowly, they have recognized that senior heathcare is truly different from usual adult medicine.

No longer can a doctor claim to understand human aging just because he or she takes care of older adults. A specialized body of medical knowledge exists that guides us in care of seniors, especially the frail and oldest old. As a case in point, we know that urinary bladder infections in a middle age adult commonly present as burning and frequent urination. By contrast, the only symptom of a urinary tract infection in an 85 year old woman may be confusion or a change in mental status. Importantly, if many physicians don't appreciate this age-dependent difference, we certainly can understand how caregivers and family members commonly are not prepared to recognize unusual symptoms of common problems in the elderly.

Lack of knowledge about disease in late life and geriatric syndromes taxes the healthcare system as well as the caregiver. In addition to diagnostic dilemmas, caregivers often have to resort to emergency departments for urgent problems because they can't get their loved ones in to see the doctor fast enough. Other times, the doctor may be so busy that little things are missed or overlooked, such as worsening memory or urinary incontinence.

Thus, lack of geriatric knowledge and insufficient healthcare resources for medically complex elderly can combine for a disastrous recipe.

Fortunately, cutting-edge hospital systems understand and provide healthcare solutions for older adults and their caregivers. Most often, these hospital-based programs are called Senior Health Centers, Geriatric Medicine Clinics, and Healthy Aging Programs. While some nonhospital-based medical programs for elderly exist, the majority are hospital-based for a simple reason: Congress has yet to pass the Geriatric Assessment and Chronic Disease Management Act, which would provide comprehensive geriatric care to Medicare beneficiaries.

The big question is what do geriatric or senior programs do that is different from usual medical assessments? The answer is: approach. Geriatric medicine approaches the older adult differently than usual medical care in that function is the primary focus. To a geriatrician, understanding a patient's physical, cognitive, and emotional functions are just as important as understanding disease processes.

How Is Geriatric Medicine Different?

© 2008 Family Caregiver Alliance

Reader's Corner

An Uncertain Inheritance: Writers on Caring for Family,, Nell Casey, ed. (2007) William Morrow, HarperCollins Publishers, NY, $24.95 (hardcover). This is a collection of stories by established writers who are also spouses, parents and adult children who have taken on the caregiving role. The book explores not only caregiving and coping, but also the life stories that lead to their becoming caregivers. Well written and engaging, the stories allow readers to share the authors' experiences. You'll finish this book with a better understanding of your own situation as well as the writers', laughing and crying as they do. Available here from Amazon.com

The Best Friends Book of Alzheimer's Activities: Volume Two, Virginia Bell, David Troxel, Tonya Cox and Robin Hamon (2008) Health Professions Press, $36.95 (paperback). This handy book provides 149 creative engagements intended to add meaning and enjoyment to the activities at an adult day care center, residential care facility, or home setting. Feedback and insights were provided from individuals with early-stage dementia, and the book includes adaptations for people in the early to late stages of Alzheimer's disease as well as topics of interest for participants in their 50s and 60's. This handbook also includes activities related to religious and spiritual traditions with a focus on multiculturalism and diversity. Available here from Amazon.com.

Handbook of Asian Aging, Hyunsook Yoon and Jon Henricks, Editors (2006) Baywood Publishing Company, Inc., $74.50 (hardcover). An excellent introduction to the socio-economic factors affecting aging in Asia, and the influence of the western worldview on how elders are viewed and integrated in today's Asian societies. Emerging aging policies are examined through the prism of dramatic increases in life expectancy in combination with rapid economic and social transformations. In this educated look ahead, the author canvases the political and cultural changes in the future and underscores the need for efficient aging policies. Available here from Amazon.com.

My Grandma Has Alzheimer's Too, Joseph Voight (2007) dphillipson@sbcglobal.net , (530) 272-6380. This is a good book to share with children who have a grandparent with Alzheimer's disease or other dementias. It explains ways young children can cope with difficult behaviors as well as loving moments. Just seeing that others have experienced some of the same things they are dealing with will be reassuring to children. It gives permission for a whole range of feelings, as well as supporting children in their role as "caregiver" to the grandparent. A must-read for caregivers with children under 12 in the house.

Through the Seasons: An Activity Book for Memory-Challenged Adults and Caregivers, Cynthia R. Green and Joan Beloff (2007) The Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, $19.95, (hardcover). Written by a specialist in gerontology and a psychologist with expertise in memory and brain health, this book offers a variety of creative activities meant to stimulate communication with loved ones who have a memory disorder. There are four sections of the book, each represented by a season of the year. Large, colorful, seasonal pictures and activities are paired together to span a wide range of cognitive abilities. Ideas such as shaking snow globes, tossing bean bags, and making bird feeders will allow you to find the perfect activity to try with your loved one. Included at the end of the book is a resource guide for caregivers. Available here from Amazon.com.

© 2008 Family Caregiver Alliance

New Report Says Patient Care Must Be Redefined to Include Family Members

In a first of its kind collaboration, national organizations representing nurses, social workers, family caregivers and people age 50+ released a report calling for a re-definition of good patient care to include those family members and friends who provide ongoing, often daily, care. Family members are very often not prepared to take on the task of caregiving—especially as many family caregivers are providing services typically reserved for registered nurses and doctors.

The report, State of the Science: Professional Partners Supporting Family Caregiving, (www.NursingCenter.com/AJNfamilycaregivers) is a joint endeavor of the AARP Foundation, the American Journal of Nursing, the Council on Social Work Education and its Journal of Social Work Education, Family Caregiver Alliance, and Rutgers Center for State Health Policy.

Family and other informal caregivers provide the vast majority of the long-term care in this country. Yet the 44 million caregivers assisting those 18+ years of age tend to have limited preparation for the job and receive limited ongoing support even as their contributions to the economy have been estimated at $350 billion annually.

The report argues that the relationships between and among nurses, social workers, patients and the friends and family who care for them must change as Americans live longer and need more long-term care at the same time that the nation faces workforce shortages among healthcare professionals, and earlier discharge from hospitals require more sophisticated care to be provided by family caregivers.

"Family caregivers are often asked to do things that would make nursing students tremble," said Susan Reinhard, RN, PhD, AARP's Senior Vice President for Public Policy.

"At the same time, America's healthcare system has yet to take into adequate account both the risks and responsibilities carried by family and other informal caregivers and the potential to improve patient care if they are given more support and treated like partners with healthcare professionals," said Kathleen Kelly, FCA Executive Director, and a co-editor of the report.

The report redefines best practices in the fields of nursing and social work as they concern caregiving for older adults and the partner organizations have pledged to spread those practices to reach more caregivers. As an initial step, a database of tools and resources for both family caregivers and professionals is available on the Family Caregiver Alliance website at www.caregiver.org.

"Our ultimate goals are to change the everyday practices, standards and protocols of the healthcare delivery system to treat both patient and caregiver as clients and to educate the next generation of nursing and social work professionals to serve caregivers in new and beneficial ways," said Diana J. Mason, RN, PhD, editor-in-chief of the American Journal of Nursing. "We also hope to be able to raise family caregivers' own expectations about the support they should receive from professionals."

The report also argues for eliminating the barriers to engaging caregivers that nurses, discharge planners and social workers currently face, such as lack of time due to heavy workloads.

"Enhancing the working relationships between nurses, social workers, patients and caregivers is essential," said Nancy Hooyman, PhD, Co-principal Investigator of the CSWE Gero-Ed Center and Hooyman Gerontology Professor at the University of Washington, Seattle. "Assessing the needs of family caregivers can assist nurses and social workers in offering the most effective support available."

The parties to the report pledged to partner with families in new ways to:

• Improve families' ability to better manage their everyday care responsibilities, reduce their own burdens and health risks, and promote a better quality of life for both the older adults receiving care and the family members providing it.

• Improve professionals' ability to assess the needs of family, friend, and neighbor caregivers; provide caregivers with the information and skills needed to deliver care; and lead in the development of family-friendly policies, practices and environments across healthcare settings.

The report both outlines the knowledge and skills needed by the caregiving professionals and suggests ways to develop them. It also lays out an agenda for future research on family caregiving. This month a special issue of the Council on Social Work Education's Journal of Social Work Education (JSWE) also will be devoted to how the social work and nursing professions can prepare to serve caregivers.

The State of the Science report was made possible by funding from the John A. Hartford Foundation and the Jacob and Valeria Langeloth Foundation. It was released to coincide with a new initiative from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services' offering enhanced online information on caregiving at www.medicare.gov and from other sources.

© 2008 Family Caregiver Alliance

Legislation to Watch

With the aging of the population, legislators are starting to focus on the myriad issues that accompany the care of a growing number of older adults with chronic and disabling conditions. To begin to reform the system in which older adults are cared for and to address the challenges family caregivers face in providing care to this population, several bills have been introduced.

• In March, Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA) introduced the Caring for an Aging America Act (S. 2708) to address the shortage of workers trained in caring for and working with older adults. The bill aims to recruit and retain professionals into geriatric care practice by providing loan forgiveness and career advancement opportunities to physicians, nurses, psychologists, social workers, direct care workers and others. These professionals would agree to specialize in and/or work with older adults for a specific amount of time in various settings.

• In June, Tennessee passed a long-term care reform bill that will expand access to home and community-based services for low-income elderly and disabled adults with Medicaid. The bill will restructure the long-term care system, reallocating funding from nursing home care to home and community-based services, streamlining the approval process for those services, and providing the services to 2,300 additional Medicaid recipients.

• Representative Anthony Weiner (D-NY) introduced a bill (H.R. 5655) in Congress to expand the dependent care tax credit to more family caregivers. The bill would increase the amount of care-related expenses taxpayers could claim, repeal the requirement that the dependent care receiver live with the caregiver, make retirees eligible for the credit, and make the credit refundable.

• In June, the New York State Senate passed a bill (S. 2060) which would provide an income tax exemption to taxpayers who care for a parent, stepparent, sibling or immediate family member who is 70 years or older and resides in the caregiver's household. These caregivers would be allowed a tax exemption of $1,000 for each elderly dependent whose annual gross income does not exceed $5,000 or, in the case of a couple with joint income, does not exceed $7,500. The bill has been sent to the Assembly. Paid leave continues to be a hot issue in Congress, as well as in state capitals.

• California's attempt to be the first state to pass a mandatory paid sick days bill (A.B. 2716) failed in the Senate. But in May, New Jersey became the third state (behind California and Washington) to pass a bill to provide workers with paid family leave. The new law will cover all workers who take time off to care for a seriously ill child, spouse, domestic partner or parent, or to bond with a new child. Workers will be able to receive up to two-thirds of their normal paycheck (capped at $524 a week) for up to six weeks. The program will be funded through a small payroll deduction.

• In Congress, the Family Leave Insurance Act (H.R. 5873) would provide up to 12 weeks of paid leave for workers who need time off to care for a seriously ill spouse, child, parent, domestic partner, grandparent, grandchild and sibling, to care for a new child, or to recover from their own serious illness. Participating employees would receive between 45% and 100% of their weekly income, and workers who qualify for Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) benefits would receive job protection. Contact your Congressional representative to express your support for this bill: www.house.gov.

• The Federal Employees Paid Parental Leave Act (H.R. 5781), passed by the House of Representatives in June, would provide federal workers with four weeks of paid leave, at regular salary, to be taken within one year of the birth or adoption of a child. While the bill does not include family caregivers, it is an important step in establishing paid family leave policies for workers.

© 2008 Family Caregiver Alliance

Clearinghouse

Booklet Helps with Financial Planning
The Women's Institute for a Secure Retirement (WISER) recently released a booklet for caregivers called Financial Steps for Caregivers: What You Need to Know about Money and Retirement. It is designed to help caregivers identify financial decisions that can affect both their short- and long-term financial security. The report can be found in WISER's National Education and Resource Center on Women and Retirement Planning, a site that integrates financial information and resources on retirement, health and long-term planning into programs that are already in existence. The Center is funded by the U.S. Administration on Aging (AoA). See the report: http://www.wiserwomen.org/portal/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogsection&id=2&Itemid=29

Medical Management of the Home Care Patient
The American Medical Association (AMA) and the American Academy of Home Care Physicians released the newest edition of Medical Management of the Home Care Patient: Guidelines for Physicians. The guide contains information, resources and tools for physicians working with home care patients, as well as for other health care professionals, home care and community agencies, and family caregivers. To download the booklet: http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/category/4642.html

New York Times Blog Explores Caregiving
Long-time New York Times reporter Jane Gross has started a blog called The New Old Age: Caring and Coping. It contains articles about various aspects of caregiving and allows readers to write in their own questions, thoughts and reactions. In the blog, Jane Gross shares readers' stories, professional advice, and her own wisdom gleaned from her experience caring for her mother. Read the blog: http://newoldage.blogs.nytimes.com/

New Report on Costs of Long-Term Care
Genworth Financial released its 2008 Cost of Care Survey which reveals that the costs for residential care have increased in recent years. The demand and costs for home care services are on the rise as well. The survey reports on the average costs for home care providers, adult day health care, assisted living facilities and nursing homes by region, state, and in some cases, metropolitan area. The report also discusses impending workforce shortages in the field of aging. Read the report: http://www.genworth.com/content/genworth/www_genworth_com/web/us/en/products_we_offer/long_term_care_insurance/long_term_care_overview/what_is_the_cost_of_long_term_care.html

New DVD in Chinese Presents Care Techniques. A new DVD intended to teach coping strategies for managing common behavioral problems faced by Chinese-American families caring for an elder with dementia is now available from the Stanford Geriatric Education Center. Presented in Mandarin Chinese, and about 2.5 hrs. long, it provides education about dementia delivered by a gero-psychiatrist, and then goes through a series of specific scenarios about common behavior problems and ways to respond to the situations. The DVD and notebook (DVD can be played with English subtitles and the workbook is in both English & Chinese) cost $25. The package is available through the SGEC website at http://sgec.stanford.edu/. Click on "Publications" and scroll down the order form.

Conferences and Trainings

Sustainable Long Term Care: Ethics, Technology and International Perspectives, FCA is collaborating with On Lok Lifeways for this conference for professionals in aging and health care October 22, 2008, 8 a.m. - 4 p.m. at the UCSF Mission Bay Conference Center in San Francisco. This conference will provide state-of-the-art perspectives and a dialogue with internationally acclaimed visionaries in the field of aging health technology, ethics and policy. Highlighted speakers include Fernando Torres-Gil (UCLA), Cheryl Phillips, MD (On Lok), Eric Dishman (Intel), Carol Levine (United Hospital Fund), Steve Brown (formerly Health Hero network), Lisa Eckenwiler (George Mason University) and Michael Decker (Karlsrhue, Germany). For more information or to register, go to www.onlok.org/events.

 © 2008 Family Caregiver Alliance

State Budget Finally Passes

The California Legislature was 85 days late in passing the state budget—the longest delay in the state's history. Seven other countries with economies larger than California's can pass their spending plan on time. Why can't we?

This summer, service providers were in the ultimate Catch-22: keeping the doors open to desperate families, borrowing money to make ends meet, and facing a demoralized workforce under the yearly threat of layoffs. With the budget passage delayed, there was another reality for families: many services were forced to cut back, unable to either borrow money in a tight credit market or pass along high bank fees under contracts or to already stretched families. It's an expensive and unnecessary exercise.

What can be done? Demand that the budget be passed on time. Make your voice heard by the Governor and your legislators. With all the terrible financial news right now, it's easy for this to get lost. But California needs to end its two-thirds budget vote and support Constitutional Amendment 22 as proposed by State Senator Tom Torlakson, along with cosponsors Senator Elaine Alquist, Assembly Member Loni Hancock, Senator Sheila Kuehl and Assembly Member Mark DeSaulnier.

Let's be clear about this: this year's budget delay hurt real people: those who need assistance and those who provide the services. And if you are a caregiver in this state—perhaps one of those "Sandwich Generation" families we hear so much about—most likely it hurt you, too. Let's work together to get the system changed.

Kathleen Kelly
FCA Executive Director

 © 2008 Family Caregiver Alliance

Board of Directors

FCA's Board of Directors conducted its annual election in early summer, electing its slate of officers for the new fiscal year as well as new and continuing members. Jennifer Arthur, M.B.A., Principal with Arthur Associates, a health care strategy and research firm in San Francisco, was elected Board President; Kathryn Lee, M.A., an Educational Therapist with the San Mateo County Office of Education, Secondary Education Services for Special Needs Students, was elected Vice President. Greg Haley, M.B.A., an Underwriting Manager at Aetna, continues as Board Treasurer. Helen Sloss Luey, former Program Director at The Hearing Society of the Bay Area, a volunteer at the Jewish Healing Center and the Jewish Home and Board member of the Hearing and Speech Center of Northern California, continues as Secretary. All Board Officers fill one-year terms.

Herman Brown, Vice President, Director of Technologies at Young & Rubicam in San Francisco and F. Burns Vick, a public policy consultant in Sacramento, were welcomed to the Board and elected to initial one-year terms.

Kathy Murphy, Director, Western Region Integration, WPP Group USA, Inc. was re-elected to a three-year term.

Continuing on the Board are; Claude Everhart, M.A., CEO of The Everhart Company; Ping Hao, Vice President, Exponential Edge, Inc., Palo Alto; William J. Lynch, Ph.D., a neuropsychologist in private practice and former Program Chief of the Brain Injury Rehabilitation Unit, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Palo Alto; Jeffrey Moeller, Senior Director, Cushman & Wakefield of California, Inc.; and Sue Wong, Chief Financial Officer, On Lok, Inc.

The Board thanked departing Board member, Margaret Wallhagen, Ph.D., A.P.R.N., B.C., G.N.P., A.G.S.F., Professor, Department of Physiological Nursing; Director, John A. Hartford Center of Geriatric Nursing Excellence, School of Nursing, University of California, San Francisco, for her wonderful leadership, active involvement and advice during her tenure of three three-year terms (the maximum allowed) on FCA's Board.

 © 2008 Family Caregiver Alliance

Bulletin Board

Love Is The Answer (LITA) provides volunteer visitors to elderly residents living in long-term care facilities (nursing homes, assisted living and retirement residences) in Marin County. The volunteers are as diverse as the residents they visit, helping to achieve a good match. Volunteers typically make weekly visits with the goal of building friendship and decreasing elders' isolation and loneliness. LITA offers four visitor programs; One-to-One Friends for the Elderly, Pet Connection, Youth Partners and Families. For more information, visit http://www.lita-marin.org or call (415) 472-5482.

The Health Insurance Counseling and Advocacy Program (HICAP) offers free information and counseling on Medicare benefits and rights, long-term care insurance and more. Counselors provide unbiased information and can make house calls for the homebound. HICAP counseling is available in every county of California. Call (800) 434-0222 for an office in your county.

Family Bridges, Inc. provides a variety of services to people of all races and ethnicities who are moderate-to low-income in Alameda and Contra Costa Counties. Services are targeted to the elderly, immigrants and people with limited English proficiency. Bilingual programs include language and citizenship assistance, a senior center, adult day health care centers, a volunteer visitor program and a diabetes education program. Staff members speak Cantonese, Mandarin, Korean, Vietnamese and English. For more information, visit http://www.fambridges.org/index.html or call (510) 839-2022.

Lavender Seniors of the East Bay offers social activities and support to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender seniors of Alameda and Contra Costa Counties. Lavender Seniors seeks to reduce isolation and raise awareness through a volunteer visitor program, phone support, informal social gatherings and outreach. Three monthly lunches are hosted throughout Alameda County and drop-ins are welcome. For more information, visit http://www.lavenderseniors.org/ or call (510) 667-9655.

Second Harvest Food Bank of Santa Clara and San Mateo Counties provides food and related services to low income households in Santa Clara and San Mateo Counties. Among their many programs is Operation Brownbag which provides a weekly bag of groceries to seniors and disabled individuals. Volunteers can also make home deliveries to homebound individuals. People in need of food can call (800) 894-FOOD (3663) for more information. Staff members speak English, Spanish and Vietnamese. Visit http://www.2ndharvest.net/ for more information.

© 2008 Family Caregiver Alliance

Family Caregivers Get Time Out

A field trip to the San Francisco Zoo offered these FCA support group members a break from their usual care responsibilities—at least for an afternoon.

"We wanted to do something completely different," said group leader Lois Escobar, FCA Family Consultant. "Sometimes caregiving can be very lonely. We wanted an outdoor activity that combined a little exercise, some conversation, and a real change from the day-to-day routine. Everyone had a great time."

Photos: Melania Jusuf

For more information on FCA support groups, click here.

 © 2008 Family Caregiver Alliance

Support Groups

Groupo de Apoyo/Spanish-Speaking Caregiver Support
Sponsor:  Family Caregiver Alliance
Location: San Francisco
Time:  Segundo lunes de cada mes/Second Monday of the month 2:00 - 4:00 p.m.
Content: Grupo de apoyo en espanol para los que cuidan a un  familiar mayor. Support group for Spanish-speaking caregivers who are caring for an elderly loved one.
Contact:  Lois Escobar, (415) 434-3388

RELAX and RENEW Caregiver Support Group
Sponsor: Family Caregiver Alliance and San Francisco Adult Day Support
Location: San Francisco
Time: First Wednesday of the month, 4:30 - 6:00 p.m.
Content: A combination workout/support group for caregivers. The group begins with stretches and gentle exercises, and then takes some time for group members to talk and share their caregiving experiences. An ideal way to get support, improve your health and reduce stress.
Contact: Lois Escobar, (415) 434-3388

Huntington's Disease Support Groups
Support groups in Bay Area locations for people with Huntington's disease, their families, partners, friends and other loved ones.  Sponsored by  FCA and the  Huntington's Disease Society of America.

Location: NEW! East Bay/Oakland
Time: Fourth Thursday of every month from 7:30 - 9:00 p.m.
Contact: Bill Jones, (510) 684-5933

Location:  Marin/Tiburon
Time: Third Thursday of the month, 7:30 - 9:00 p.m.
Contact: Andrea Zanko, (415) 476-9320

Location: South Bay/Palo Alto
Time: Second Tuesday of the month, 7:00 - 8:30 p.m.
Contact: Andrea Kwan, (650) 725-6571, andreak at stanford dot edu or Lucille Towner, (650) 967-0679

Online Caregiver Support Groups
Sponsor:  Family Caregiver Alliance
Location: Your computer
Time:  Available 24-hours a day
Content:  Four free online support groups offer participants supportive environments in which to ask questions and share experiences, resources and ideas.
Contact:  To register for any of these groups visit the Groups page on www.caregiver.org

• The Caregiver Online Group is for families, partners and other caregivers of adults with disorders such as Alzheimer’s, stroke, brain injury and others to talk about a wide range of concerns, successes and challenges.
• The LGBT Caring Community Online Support Group is for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender caregivers of adults with cognitive impairments and/or other chronic health problems.
• The Link2Care Support Group is part of the secure website dedicated to clients of California’s Caregiver Resource Centers.
• The Huntington’s Disease and Movement Disorders Online Group is for anyone—diagnosed individuals, families, friends and professionals—living with the day-to-day challenges of HD, Parkinson’s or another movement disorder. The group is facilitated by a registered nurse with extensive personal and professional HD experience. For information on participating in this moderated group, call your local CRC or (800) 445-8106.

  © 2008 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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