Vol. 12, No. 1
January 2021
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Dear Friends:
The new year normally marks a new beginning and a fresh start. Unfortunately, the beginning of 2021 is still marred by the dangers and challenges of COVID-19. Despite this dark cloud, January is still a good time celebrate all you have accomplished over the past year, especially because of COVID-19.
Pandemic or not, FCA's mission is to improve the quality of life for caregivers and the people who receive their care. To that end we offer a number of helpful online tools including CareNav, a secure online service that offers personalized information, support, and resources; FCA Learning Center which brings together our fact sheets, recorded online classes, and videos, to provide a one-stop shop for educational materials; and Family Care Navigator, that can help you locate and connect with resources in your area.
Sincerely,
Calvin Hu
Education Coordinator
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“With the new day comes new strength and new thoughts.”
— Eleanor Roosevelt
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New Session: Six-Week Online Support Group for San Francisco Bay Area Family Caregivers
This online support group provides a place for family caregivers to get support and hear from other caregivers. It is moderated by a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and is open to San Francisco Bay Area caregivers who are caring for someone 60 or older with any diagnosis, or caring for someone between the ages of 18-59 with an adult onset cognitive or neurological impairment. The group being offered in six-week cycles with breaks in between.
When: Six consecutive Tuesdays, starting January 26, from 6:30 to 8 p.m.
Cost: No charge
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Effective Communication Strategies Training Class for Professionals
The San Francisco LGBTQ Dementia Care Project is a collaboration between The Alzheimer’s Association, in partnership with Openhouse, and FCA. The project offers free training to health and social service providers on the care needs of LGBTQ seniors living with dementia and their caregivers.
Communication is more than just talking and listening, it’s also about sending and receiving messages through attitude, tone of voice, facial expressions, and body language. As people with Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias progress in their journey and the ability to use words is lost, care partners need new ways to connect. Join us to learn to decode verbal and behavioral messages and identify strategies to help you improve communication at each stage of the disease.
When: Monday, January 25, from 11 a.m. to 12 noon (PT)
Cost: No charge
(You will receive the Zoom meeting information by email the day before the event.)
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FCA Expert Featured in KQED Public Radio's Forum Program
KQED Forum is a live call-in radio show discussing local, state, national, and international issues. Forum recently covered how caregiving has changed during the pandemic, and how to get support. The program featured a panel of experts including FCA Clinical Services Director and Family Consultant Christina Irving. Please click here to listen. |
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Get Your Own Personalized Caregiving Resource Dashboard
Go online to complete a brief questionnaire and get a personal dashboard loaded with information that matches your unique caregiving needs. CareNav, our secure online service, offers quality information, support, and resources for family caregivers of adults with chronic physical or cognitive conditions such as Alzheimer’s, stroke, Parkinson’s, and other illnesses.
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California Paid Family Leave: What Is It, and How You Can Use It
This webinar features experts from California Work & Family Coalition explaining Paid Family Leave for caregivers. The presentation covers the basics of Paid Family Leave in addition to local, state, and federal laws that help family caregivers take the time they need while still keeping their jobs. Participants will learn about: Paid Family Leave; State Disability Insurance; job protection under CFRA and FMLA; and paid sick days for caregiving.
To view a recording of this webinar please click here.
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Permiso Familiar Pagado: ¿Qué es? ¿Cómo lo puedes usar?
Eres un cuidador familiar con preguntas acerca del Permiso Familiar Pagado? Únete al seminario especial sobre el Permiso Familiar Pagado que será presentado por Family Caregiver Alliance (FCA) y el equipo de California Work & Family Coalition. La presentación cubrirá lo básico del Permiso Familiar Pagado y también las leyes Locales, Estatales y Federales para ayudar a los cuidadores familiares a tomarse el tiempo libre necesario mientras continúan trabajando. Los participantes aprenderán sobre: Permiso Familiar Pagado; Seguro de Incapacidad Estatal; Protección de trabajo bajo CFRA (California Family Rights Act / Ley de Derechos de la Familia de California) and FMLA (Family Medical Leave Act / Ley de Ausencia Familiar y Médica); Días de Enfermedad Pagados para el cuidado de un familia.
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Caregiver Resource Center Classes
The California Caregiver Resource Centers (CRC) serve families and caregivers of adults affected by chronic and debilitating health conditions (FCA is the San Francisco Bay Area CRC). FCA is now hosting a calendar of classes, workshops, and events compiled from each of the 11 CRCs and open to family caregivers across the country.
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Expect the Best: How to Get the Most Out of Your Hospice Care
Choosing hospice for yourself or a loved one can be a challenging task. The team from The Heart of Hospice will share ways to choose an agency that’s a good fit and what to expect from your care team. The presentation will also debunk myths about hospice care and educate you about how to navigate the end-of-life experience. Participants will learn about: hospice myths and misinformation; how to choose a hospice agency; rights of the patient and caregiver; and learn about the hospice interdisciplinary team.
This webinar features Jerry Fenter and Helen Bauer from The Heart of Hospice
When: Wednesday, January 27, from 11 a.m. to 12 noon (PT)
Where: ONLINE
Cost: No Charge
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How to Get Your Homebound Parent a COVID-19 Vaccine
Many caregivers are assisting family or friends who are older and suffering from one or more chronic health conditions. These older and sicker adults are more susceptible to COVID-19, and are in theory near the top of the list for a vaccination. In practice, getting a COVID-19 shot varies between states and counties, and can be very confusing and unclear. Next Avenue writer Arlene Weintraub provides some advice on how to navigate the vaccine red tape and outlines the special considerations for loved ones that are homebound.
For residents of California, VaccinateCA helps get COVID-19 vaccines in the hands of seniors as quickly as possible by publishing up-to-date vaccine availability at hospitals and pharmacies across the state. The volunteer-led effort calls hundreds of locations every day to get up-to-date availability information, while also tracking and publishing county-level vaccination policies.
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Who Pays For Mom? Creating The Family Care Agreement
Caregiving can take a physical, emotional, and financial toll. To help offset the expenses of being a caregiver, many families opt to enter into a family care agreement (also known as a personal care agreement). Forbes contributor Cindy Hounsell explains what these contracts do, and how they can benefit both the family caregiver and the person for whom they are providing care.
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CAREGIVERS CONNECT: SF BAY AREA EVENTS |
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Mabisang Komunikasyon sa Pangangalaga (Effective Communication)
Ang webinar na “Mabisang Komunikasyon sa Pangangalaga” ay para sa mga family caregivers na ang pangunahing wika ay Tagalog bilang tulong at suporta sa pagsiyasat ng mas mabuti at mas mabisang pamamaraan sa komunikasyon. Ang mga family caregivers ay kadalasang nagsusumikap na panatilihin ang magandang komunikasyon at iwasan ang hidwaan sa loob ng pamilya. Ang webinar ay itatanghal sa wikang Tagalog para sa pakinabang ng mga Pilipinong caregivers at sa mga family caregivers na ang pangunahing wika ay Tagalog. Ang pangunahing layunin nito ay para tulungan ang family caregivers na unawain ang kahirapan sa komunikasyon sa loob ang kani-kanilang pamilya at para sa kanilang mas mabisang pagtaguyod.
This Effective Communication webinar is for family caregivers whose primary language is Tagalog as an aid in exploring ways for better and effective communication. Family caregivers often struggle with maintaining good communication and avoiding conflicts within the family. This webinar which will be presented in Tagalog is for the benefit Filipino caregivers and Tagalog-speaking family caregivers. The main purpose is to help the family caregivers to understand the complexities of communication with their families and to cope effectively.
Kailan: Pebrero 25, 1:30 PM - 3 PM Pacific Time
Halaga: Gratis
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Caregiving 101
The goal of this class is to identify what a caregiver is, the importance of being identified as a caregiver, and to provide the participant with an understanding of the impact they potentially leave on the care of their loved ones and themselves.
When: March 10, from 2 to 3:15 p.m. (PT)
Where: Online
Cost: No charge
Registration is open to family caregivers in the San Francisco Bay Area.
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Headlines From the January Caregiving Policy Digest
- Congress deals blow to surprise billing
- AARP ‘Dashboard’ documents COVID’s SNF death toll
- RAISE Act Council approves caregiver recommendations
The entire issue is available here.
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Do You Get Caregiving Policy Digest?
Published monthly, this e-newsletter focuses on legislation and policy, caregiving research, and media coverage of caregiving issues. The recent, issue is available here. Visit the archive for past issues and click here to subscribe.
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Professional Research
Graduate Student Research
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OUR SUPPORTERS: THANK YOU! |
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We would like to take a moment to extend a warm thank you to the many generous supporters who make the work we do possible through thoughtful donations to Family Caregiver Alliance.
FCA has led the way in supporting family caregivers for over 40 years.
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Follow FCA on Social Media! |
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101 Montgomery Street | Suite 2150 | San Francisco, CA 94104
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Family Care Navigator
state-by-state resources
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Help support Family Caregiver Alliance by choosing FCA as your Amazon Smile charity.
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Connections Credits
Editors
Calvin Hu
Al Martinez
Contributors
Kathleen Kelly
Calvin Hu
Lana Sheridan
Leah Eskenazi
Executive Director
Kathleen Kelly
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FCA Board of Directors
President
Celine Takatsuno
Vice-President
Keely Stevenson
Treasurer
Wyatt Ritchie
Secretary
Amanda Breeden Warner
Acting Secretary
Kathleen Raffel
Athan Bezaitis
Deborah Kan
Shruti Kothari
Catherine Lelong
Dan Lieberman
Rajiv Mehta
Scott Peifer
Tiffany Riser
Ian Tong
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