Awareness: Connecting Caring and Community

National Alliance for Caregiving Fifth National Conference for Caregiver CoalitionsApril 27, 2011ASA Aging in America ConferenceSan Francisco, CA

So what does it mean to be aware?Recipient

◦Is more aware of him/herself and current lived experience

◦Knows more about a resource, service, diagnosis, prognosis

◦Knows how to find help◦Is inspired to act◦Connects with others

So what does it mean to be aware?Professionals

◦More knowledge of caregiver stresses and impact on health and well being

◦Knows more about resources available to help caregivers

◦Inspired to integrate caregiver into care planning

◦Seeks to engage caregivers at points of care transition

So what does it mean to be aware?Faith Communities

◦Need to support caregivers◦Aware they may be first to see signs

of need for caregiver support◦Ideas for what faith community(ies)

could do◦Holistic view of the caregiver

So what does it mean to be aware?Policy

◦Caregiver demographics◦Caregiver needs◦Policy solutions◦Opportunities for partnership

Who else?Local GovernmentBusiness CommunityPhilanthropyGenerationsEmployersPlanning OfficesHospital and Health SystemsOthers?

Ways to build awarenessIn personEventsMediaSocial mediaPressEducational materialsResearch and report

dissemination

What is going on? Traditional mediaEvents- expos, conferences, recognition

daysTelephone/WebinarIn person support groupsWebsitesSocial mediaProfessional skill enhancement/knowledgeCMEPrint – magazines, email, newslettersCommunity outreachPerformancesMusic

Hawaii Family Caregiver Coalition

Family Caregiver Awareness Day and Resource Fair Dear Members and Friends of the Hawaii Family Caregiver Coalition, On Tuesday, March 29, 2011, the Hawaii Family Caregiver Coalition will host the 2011 Family Caregiver Awareness Day and Resource Fair at the Hawaii State Capitol. 

We are holding this celebration to give legislators, family caregivers, and the public the opportunity to learn more about the issues involved in caregiving and about the legislative tools, which, if enacted, would help families meet their responsibilities.  The event will provide you with an opportunity to showcase the services and products that you provide.

  Activities for the day will include: 1.  Exhibits by organizations involved in aging and caregiver services. 2.  Visits to legislators to brief them on aging and caregiving issues. 3.  A chance to network with people from like-minded organizations and join the Coalition.  We are also excited to mention that Lanakila's "March for Meals" and an AARP rally will be held at the Capitol

on the same day!  There will be lots of energy and activities that promises to make this event fun and worthwhile!

http://www.kokuamau.org/content/family-caregiver-awareness-day-and-resource-fair

New Mexico Direct Caregivers CoalitionThe New Mexico Direct Caregivers

Coalition was formed to improve the quality of life for direct caregivers. The Coalition, funded by the New Mexico Developmental Disabilities Planning Council (DDPC), carries out its work to support direct caregivers by:

Providing a space for family and professional direct caregivers to share information, and to support one another professionally;

http://www.nmdirectcaresupport.org

Capitol Region Caregiver Coalition (New York)Tools for Caregivers Day, April 9,

2011Call 434-2160 to register TODAY!

Click HERE for a schedule of our day.

Click HERE for workshop listing and list of panelists for our informal Q&A.

http://www.capitalregioncaregiver.com/

Kinship Care Coalition The coalition has grown to over forty health and social

services agencies that meet quarterly and discuss issues and problems facing kinship caregivers. Most recently the coalition changed its name from GP/GCI to the Kinship Caregiver Coalition. Several provider agencies felt the former name of the coalition was misleading by suggesting only grandparents raising grandchildren were provided services. The coalition remains responsive to all kinship caregivers and their issues.

The Ohio Department of Aging was instrumental is supporting this effort in Ohio, funding the Kinship Navigator Program in Montgomery County for two years. Ongoing support for the program is provided through Children Services Board in Montgomery County and the Center for Healthy Communities. http://www.med.wright.edu/chc/kinship/about.htm

New York City Family Caregiver Coalition

5TH ANNUAL NYC FAMILY CAREGIVER COALITION CELEBRATION HONORS THE GERANIUM FARM, FRIENDS IN DEED AND HEALTHCORPSNEW YORK, NY (November 11, 2010) — At its fifth annual Evening of Celebration and Gratitude, hosted by EmblemHealth, The New York City Family Caregiver Coalition (NYCFCC) celebrated the theme of Body-Mind-Spirit and honored three women whose organizations exemplify NYCFCC’s efforts to support caregivers: The Geranium Farm, Friends In Deed, and HealthCorps.

http://www.emblemhealth.com/default.aspx?Page=840

The Alliance was created to conduct research, do policy analysis, develop national programs, increase public awareness of family caregiving issues, work to strengthen state and local caregiving coalitions, and represent the US caregiving community internationally. Recognizing that family caregivers provide important societal and financial contributions toward maintaining the well-being of those they care for, the Alliance's mission is to be the objective national resource on family caregiving with the goal of improving the quality of life for families and care recipients.

United Way of Morris County’s Caregivers Coalition is hosting a resource fair to offer information and resources on caring for loved ones of all ages dealing with issues of aging, disability, or mental illness. The fair will take place from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 6, at the Ukrainian American Cultural Center, 60 North Jefferson Road, Whippany.

Caregiver HealthNational Stress Awareness Day - C

oping with CareGiving StressAs CareGivers, we may feel that

our tasks are endless and we continually focus on the needs of those we are caring for rather than tending to our own needs.  April 16th is National Stress Awareness Day.  In honor of this day, CAREjourney.com is addressing CareGiver stress and offering suggestions.  Consider some of the following ideas to help reduce stress as you cope with the ongoing demands of caregiving. 

Disease Specific Awareness March 14, 2011

Alzheimer’s Awareness Day is today ... a time to support caregivers of Georgians living with Alzheimer’s disease

AMERICUS — Today, March 15 has been designated

by the Georgia Alzheimer’s Association as “Alzheimer’s Awareness Day” at the State Capitol. This is an annual event where advocates from across the state have the opportunity to meet with legislators and other key government officials at the capitol to educate them on the important issues of those living with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and/or a related dementia as well as their families.

WHYY Wider Horizons and the Caring Community

Media and Community Partnerships WHYY and Caring Community's efforts to reduce

isolation for caregivers and improve caregiving for individuals with chronic conditions reflect [WHYY's] new, flexible approach that takes advantage of on and off-air platforms. Using both traditional and experimental reporting methods, the programming reflects the viewing community -- a community of producers.

-- Excerpted with permission from Vibrations, a biannual newsletter published by Sound Partners for Community Health.

For more information, visit www.soundpartners.org.or http://www.whyy.org/widerhorizons/circleoflove.html

What should we consider?Answer the journalist’s questions:

◦Who◦What◦When ◦Where◦Why

What should we consider?Spend time defining the message

Think about best way to convey it

What else is going on?

What should we consider?

Is there a collaborative opportunity before us?

Are we maximizing use of evolving media?

Have we looked into generational differences?

What should we consider?Have we recognized cultural or

other types of diversity?

Did we assess what was done?

What are we doing?Awareness Building

Building with Awareness

Contact Information

Brian M. Duke MHA MBEActing SecretaryCommonwealth of PennsylvaniaDepartment of Aging555 Walnut Street, 5th FloorHarrisburg, PA 17101-1919Telephone: 717-783-1550Email: bduke@state.pa.us