In the News

November is National Family Caregivers Month

Every November we celebrate National Family Caregivers Month. It is designated as a time every year to thank, support, educate and celebrate the 44 million family caregivers across the country currently providing unpaid caregiving services at an estimated value of $350 billion. Family caregiving is typically at the core of what sustains frail elders and adults with disabilities, yet caregivers often make major sacrifices (financial, physical, and emotional) to help loved ones remain in their homes.

California has the highest number of family and informal caregivers of any state in the nation. It is the dedicated families—not institutions—who provide most of the long-term care in California. Care can range from handling a loved one's transportation, finances and medications to managing feeding tubes, injections, physical therapy and personal hygiene. California caregivers annually provide unpaid care services with a market value equal to $45 billion (AARP Public Policy Institute, 2007). Join us in honoring family caregivers this November. Read More

Older Americans Increasingly Choose Home Care over Nursing Homes and Assisted Living

Older Americans are increasingly opting for home care services—or "aging in place"—over nursing homes and assisted-living facilities. According to a recent article in the North County Times (San Diego and Riverside counties), four out of five older U.S. residents strongly prefer to stay in their own homes rather than in a nursing home. "Countless AARP surveys tell us that the vast majority of older Americans would rather remain in their homes with easy access to community-based services," said Joanne Disch, member of the AARP board of directors, in a speech to the International Forum on Long Term Care last month in Washington, D.C. "That's almost always the first choice."

The article also cites a 2007 research study (commissioned by Clarity and the EAR Foundation) that showed that senior citizens fear moving into a nursing home and losing their independence more than they fear death. Furthermore, a report by the California HealthCare Foundation showed that, in California, nearly four times as many Californians received long-term care outside of nursing homes as received care in nursing homes, in 2002. In 1999, the figure was 2.5 times. As the baby boomer population nears retirement, the option of receiving care outside of a nursing home is expected to continue to grow in popularity. Read More

Home-sharing May be Good Option for Seniors

A recent article in the LA Times discussed a new option for seniors: Open your home to a "housemate" and keep your independence. The article highlights an unlikely relationship that developed between an elderly woman who wanted help with household tasks and to feel less lonely and a younger man who needed an affordable place to live. The two met through a group that matches seniors with roommates, Alternative Living for the Aging, which is a nonprofit group that has matched more than 7,000 seniors with roommates over the last three decades.

According to Janet Witkin, executive director of Alternative Living for the Aging, the arrangement is becoming widespread because of two demographic realities: a larger aged population and a growing number of younger people who can't afford soaring rents. With careful screening and organized support, home-sharing can be an attractive option for seniors who wish to continue living independently...Read More

To subscribe or unsubscribe to California Caregiver, please visit www.californiacrc.org/californiacrc/jsp/newsletter/registration.jsp