 |
Sample: Op-Ed
By Suzanne Mintz, President/Co-founder
National Family Caregivers Association
Who is a family caregiver? Who is providing 306 billion dollars of “free” caregiving services to support
our healthcare system? Certainly, doctors, nurses, childcare workers, social workers, homecare aides,
psychologists, and members of the clergy, are givers of care. But are they caregivers? “Family”
caregivers are those individuals who provide care to a loved one who is chronically ill or disabled.
I put the word “family” in quotes because it is meant to be an inclusive term that has under its umbrella
close friends, neighbors and partners, anyone who has an emotional attachment to the care recipient and
who acts like family. The term “caregiver” itself does not clearly reflect this bond.
Today family caregivers are supporting our entire healthcare system by providing more than 80% of all
homecare services. Today 40% provide some level of nursing support, including wound and medication
management.
National Family Caregivers Month (NFC Month) observed every — November — is a nationally recognized month
that seeks to draw attention to the many challenges facing family caregivers, advocate for stronger
public policy to address family caregiving issues, and raise awareness about community programs that
support family caregivers. NFC Month is a time to thank, support, educate, and advocate for the more
than 50 million family caregivers across the country.
The National Family Caregivers Association (NFCA), a not-for-profit organization dedicated to empowering
family caregivers and improving their overall quality of life by providing information, education,
support, and advocacy, organizes NFC Month each year.
Over the past decade the awareness gained by family caregivers and others has changed caregiving from a
private family situation to a societal issue. Today policy makers, employers, insurers, and healthcare
professionals are beginning to address the concerns of family caregivers. Now it is important to continue
to build on the awareness and promote meaningful action. Family caregiving is an issue for all of us.
It has been said that there are only four kinds of people in the world — those who have been caregivers,
those who currently are caregivers, those who will be caregivers and those who will need caregivers.
None of us will be excluded.
Join us this month by CARING EVERY DAY with family caregivers. Take action this month by either yourself
or with family members, friends, or members of your church or synagogue to bring dinner to a caregiving
family once a week, or provide respite time, leaf raking, or transportation. There are so many ways to
help. The goal is to take action and reach out to caregivers. Typically, family caregivers have great
difficulty asking for help. You can make it easier for them to both ask for and accept help by offering
something very specific and non-threatening such as the suggestions noted above. Don’t forget to say when
you’ll bring the meal or rake the lawn. It will serve as a commitment the family caregiver can count on.
A little bit of help can go a long way.
|
|
