National Family Caregivers Association

Monday Oct 6, 2008

Story Pitch for Print or Electronic Media

National Family Caregivers Month

Do you know that family caregivers provided more than 306 billion dollars of caregiving services each year, helping chronically ill and disabled loved ones deal with life’s basic functions? Do you know that 78% of seniors that need care receive it from family members, over 80% of all homecare services are provided by family, and that businesses lose as much as 34 billion annually due to employees’ need to provide care for loved ones 50 years of age and older?

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. It is a time to thank, support, educate, and advocate for the more than 50 million family caregivers across the country.

This is the perfect time for a story about family caregivers and the contribution they are making to our community. This story will speak to everyone because today the concerns of caregivers have moved from being a private family situation to a societal issue. Today policy makers, employers, insurers, and healthcare professionals are all addressing these issues.

(Include your personalized pitch here.)
Our community is recognizing NFC Month by . . .
We hope you will cover our event . . .
OR
I would be happy to connect you with several caregivers in our area who are willing to share their stories . . .
OR
I would be happy to recommend some caregivers who could come to your studio to be part of an interview show . . .

This is the best time to recognize family caregivers, increase awareness of their roles in our community and provide a call to action to help. I look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely
(Your Name)