Dear Friends:
May is Older Americans Month. It’s a time to reflect on and celebrate their contributions to our country, communities, and families. Yet despite everything this group built, invented, grew, and nurtured, many are also in dire need of support. Isolation, financial insecurity, health problems, caregiving responsibilities, and now COVID-19 are all taking a toll.
FCA joins with the rest of the country in celebrating older Americans. We are working hard to support older Americans who are family caregivers, and family caregivers of all ages. For
COVID-19 resources for caregivers, fact sheets, webinars, and online classes, please visit our website
caregiver.org. For those family caregivers living in the San Francisco Bay Area seeking a one-on-one counselling session, our Bay Area
Caregiver Resource Center is here to serve you.
Sincerely,
Calvin Hu
Education Coordinator
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“
It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.
”
— Confucius
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New Six-Week Online Support Group
This six-week 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 caregivers who are caring for someone 60 or older with any diagnosis or between the ages of 18-59 with an adult onset cognitive or neurological impairment. Once you complete the registration below, someone will reach out to you to confirm attendance and provide the Zoom meeting information.
This support group is open to residents of Alameda County, Contra Costa County, Marin County, San Francisco County, San Mateo County, and Santa Clara County. This support group is specifically for family caregivers, not providers.
When: Six Tuesdays, June 16, 23, 30, July 7, 14, and 21, from 3 to 4:30 p.m
Where: Online
Cost: No charge
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Grupo de Apoyo en Español Por Teléfono (Spanish Telephone Support Group)
Venga a compartir su experiencia, consejos y apoyo con otros cuidadores. El Tercer Jueves de Cada Mes, 2-3 p.m. Para Participar en el Grupo de Apoyo, Marque el Número 1 669 900 6833, ID de reunion: 963 2072 9945#
Para mas Información y Registrarse, Por Favor Llamar a Adriana Sanchez (415) 434-3388 ext. 316
El grupo de apoyo esta abierto para residentes en los siguientes condados: Alameda County, Contra Costa County, Marin County, San Francisco County, San Mateo County, Y Santa Clara County. Este grupo de apoyo es estrictamente para cuidadores familiares no para proovedores profesionales.
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Are You a Provider? Join Our e-News List for Healthcare and Social Services Professionals
FCA is excited to announce the launch of an e-news update specifically for providers — those who provide healthcare or social services to their communities.
We know that many of your adult patients and clients have family caregivers in their lives who give them care and assistance. This update will help you better support those caregivers with information, resources, and expert guidance tailored to their needs. Each issue highlights services such as classes, webinars, online events, tip sheets and more. All services are free or low-cost.
Sign up today to stay in the know!
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FCA CareJourney
FCA CareJourney is a secure online service for 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. By
joining CareJourney you will be asked a brief set of questions that lead to a personal dashboard loaded with information that matches your unique caregiving needs such as: fact and tip sheets, videos, online classes, and support; state and national caregiving resources; access to a skilled Resource Specialist; and the FCA Facebook page feed.
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Palliative Care on the Front Lines of COVID-19 Webinar Recording
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought home the importance of training on palliative care and the need for advanced planning for those with serious illness and their families. This webinar featuring Dr. Diane E. Meier will explore: how COVID-19 has impacted medical decision-making for those in palliative care, how families can better communicate with health professionals at this time, and how COVID-19 has shaped future recommendations for palliative care practice.
Speaker: Diane E. Meier, MD, FACP, FAAHPM, is CEO of the Center to Advance Palliative Care (
CAPC).
Please
click here to view a recording of this webinar. The slides are available to view
here.
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Planning Ahead for the Care You May Need: Health Care Decisions in the Era of COVID-19 Webinar Recording and Slides
This webinar reviews advance care planning, easy-to-use materials and easy-to-read advance directives in 10 languages available at
prepareforyourcare.org. The webinar also covers how advance care planning is unique in the time of COVID-19, what can and should be done before a hospitalization to help prepare, the types of discussions and decisions that patients may face when they come to the hospital, how families can stay connected, and how palliative care can help.
Speakers: Rebecca Sudore, MD - Professor of Medicine, UCSF and Anne Kinderman, MD - Director, Supportive and Palliative Care Service, ZFGH and Associate Clinical Professor of Medicine, UCSF
Please
click here to view a recording of this webinar. The slides can be viewed
here.
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Free Resources to Aid Veterans, Military, Their Families Amid COVID-19 Outbreak
AARP has compiled a
list of resources for veterans, service members, and their families during these uncertain times. This list includes information on free programs for financial concerns, mental and physical health, and Veterans Affairs services.
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Study Seeks Family Caregivers of Adults with Dementia or Mild Cognitive Impairment
Are you a family caregiver of an adult with dementia or mild cognitive impairment? See if you qualify for a study offered by People Power and researchers at UC Berkeley.
Eligible study participants receive a monitoring system called Presence Caregiver. Through the use of in-home sensors and a smartphone app, the system alerts family caregivers to potential risks related to those in their care. These includes falls, wandering, and water leaks. It’s designed to improve the safety of people living with dementia and to reduce the stress and isolation of their caregivers.
Participants must be family caregivers, fluent in English, living with a person with dementia, and have a smartphone and wireless internet connectivity. Please
click here for more information and to see if you are eligible to participate.
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How to: Joining an Online Zoom Meeting
California is under a shelter in place order for the foreseeable future. To continue to provide support for family caregivers, FCA is using technology products to offer services remotely. If you are having difficulties joining an FCA meeting, class, or webinar hosted using Zoom, please read our
step-by-step guide.
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Bringing ‘Poogie’ Home: Hospice In The Time Of COVID-19
Something the public has always taken for granted is the ability to visit family and loved ones in hospitals, nursing homes, or other residential care facilities. The spread of COVID-19 has led to extremely strict precautions in these locations, many of which forbid any visits. Writing for Kaiser Health News, Melissa Bailey documents one family’s
choice between the risks of bringing home a dying family member with COVID-19, or keeping her in a facility where no one would be able to visit her.
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Nine Tips for a Successful Telemedicine Appointment
For many situations, telemedicine can be a good substitute for an in-person doctor visit and even offers some unique advantages. This type of doctor visit has grown especially with the rise of COVID-19. Dr. Christine Nguyen gives
tips and advice for Next Avenue readers looking to make the most out of a telemedicine visit. These include testing your technology beforehand, and compiling your symptoms and questions in advance.
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CAREGIVERS CONNECT: SF BAY AREA EVENTS
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Let’s Get Away, Together!
A six-part armchair travel series for caregivers
This series is comprised of six interactive travel activity sessions. Each week will focus on a new part of the world or cultural activity, while incorporating storytelling, music, poetry writing, and/or a simple craft. Each session will include a followup message filled with tips, activities, and recipes for families to continue to enjoy after the virtual trip. The focus of each group is to explore a new world, experience a variety of engaging opportunities, and enjoy a sense of camaraderie and community. Register for one or more sessions.
Let’s Get Away, Together! is intended to be an enjoyable activity for family caregivers and the person they care for. Those receiving care who are able to participate in the discussion and activities are encouraged to attend with their family caregiver. Registration is open, but priority will be given to residents of the San Francisco Bay Area (Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, San Francisco, San Mateo, and Santa Clara Counties).
When: Tuesdays, May 26, June 2, 9, 16, 23, 30, from 1 to 2 p.m. (PT)
June 2, “Let’s Go to Paris!”
June 9, “Let’s talk about FOOD, art edition”
June 16, “Let’s Go to India!”
June 23, “Let’s Go to the Museum, Opposites edition”
June 30, “Let’s Go around the world in ONE hour!”
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Headlines From the May 2020 Caregiving Policy Digest
- COVID-19 ravages nursing homes
- ‘Free’ COVID-19 tests may bring collateral bills
- COVID-19: Social distancing and loneliness
The entire May 2020 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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Visit Family Caregiver Alliance’s
NEW
online solution for secure information, support, and resources for family caregivers of adults with chronic physical or cognitive conditions.
FCA CareJourney™
provides a personalized dashboard loa
ded with inform
ation that matches your unique caregiving needs.
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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
Dan Lieberman
Treasurer
Wyatt Ritchie
Secretary
Kathleen Raffel
Amanda Breeden
Athan Bezaitis
Deborah Kan
Shruti Kothari
Catherine Lelong
Rajiv Mehta
Scott Peifer
Tiffany Riser
Keely Stevenson
Ian Tong
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