Elderly Caregiver Support

Transcription

1 Elderly Caregiver Support Caregiving in Rural America March 22, 2005

2 Today Grandparents & Other Relatives Raising Children Innovative Responses Opportunities

3 About Generations United National non-profit membership organization Founded in 1986 by: Child Welfare League of America National Council on the Aging Children s Defense Fund AARP

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5 Generations United Mission To improve the lives of children, youth, and older people through intergenerational collaboration, public policies, and programs.

6 Social Compact

7 Intergenerational Approaches: Not Just Nice Necessary

8 Grandparents Raising Grandchildren: Who Are the Families?

9 The Caregivers 2.4 million grandparents 60% more likely than peers to live in poverty 47% over the age of 50 29% over 60 years old

10 The Caregivers 72% married couples 49% caregivers white, 28% black, 16% Hispanic 1 in 10 (10.9%) raise a grandchild for at least 6 months 37% responsible for more than 5 years

11 The Children Over 6 million children or 1 in 12 under age of 18 Half under age of 6 More likely maintain contact with birth parents Sibling groups often left intact & fewer multiple placements

12 The Children Higher incidence of physical & mental health problems & learning disabilities 1 in 3 lack health insurance 27% live in poverty

13 I I realized this is the first year my grandchild has started and finished the year at the same school and she s s in the sixth grade.

14 Why? Substance abuse Incarceration Poverty HIV/AIDS Mental health Child abuse Military deployment And others

15 Other people don t realize how hard it is or how gratifying it is.

16 Issues Coping-grief, loss, fear, anger, resentment, stress, insecurity, attachment Social isolation Stigma

17 Help the Families Succeed Range of supports Access to services & information Respite Legal assistance Financial Supports

18 Informal Verses Formal Informally without a legal relationship Legal process can be taxing emotionally & damaging Financial drain Hope that child will ultimately return to parents care

19 Model Responses Support Groups Respite Care Access to Services Kinship Navigator Programs Subsidized Guardianship Programs

20 Support Groups Brookdale Foundation RAPP (145 in 43 states) Ohio Monthly Potlucks SW Michigan s Party Line Florida Sunday Beach Picnics

21 Support Group Success Don t call it a support group Feed them, they will come Gifts, useful & personal Transportation Connecting between meetings

22 Respite Care OK Respite Program Family Friends Program Weekly Phone Calls & Greeting Cards Conferences, Camps & Memberships

23 State-level Access medical care, dental care and/or mental health services for children Access to education Requirements vary from state to state Consent Laws

24 Ohio & New Jersey Kinship Navigator Programs Designed to provide information to kinship caregivers about available community services Also will assist them, when necessary, in accessing services

25 Subsidized Guardianship Permanency option Available in over half the states Legal custody with relative Subsidy to relative continues

26 NFCSP & Grandparents

27 NFCSP Eligibility A grandparent, step-grandparent or other relative of a child by blood or marriage who is 60 years of older and Lives with the child Is the primary caregiver of the child because the parents are unable or unwilling to serve as primary caregivers Has legal relationship to the child or is raising the child informally

28 Federal Legislation Kinship Caregiver Support Act, to be reintroduced by Senators Clinton & Snowe Lifespan Respite Care

29 Steps Forward GU s Second Action Agenda J&J/RCI Rural Caregiver panel gov

30 Big Mama Unconditional Love A toast to a woman who raised a man In popular demand all across the land You re my lawyer, my teacher, my doctor and my friend My mother, my father, you with me til the end LL Cool J

31 For more information, contact: Generations United 1333 H Street, NW, Suite 500W Washington, DC (202) gu@gu.org