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Vol. 10, No. 11

November 27, 2019

Dear Friends:

November is National Family Caregivers Month. It is a time to celebrate, and recognize the herculean efforts and sacrifices made by people across the country providing care to family members, partners, relatives, friends, and neighbors.

At FCA, we have been privileged to serve and support family caregivers for over four decades with advocacy work, one-on-one counseling , educational materials , support groups , and in-person and online training . This month, we join the rest of the nation in celebrating your achievements, mourning your setbacks, and working for a brighter future where you receive the tools and support you deserve.

Sincerely,

Calvin Hu

Education Coordinator

[email protected]

Reframing Aging

The Reframing Aging Campaign is a partnership between the San Francisco Department of Disability and Aging Services, the Community Living Campaign, the Metta Fund, and local community organizations including FCA. The goal of the campaign is to highlight the pervasiveness of ageism, combat negative stereotypes, and link older San Francisco residents with services. Reframing Aging is one of many initiatives by San Francisco to help create a more inclusive city.

San Francisco residents, please take a moment to complete the Reframing Aging survey:

English | Chinese | Spanish

FCA Fact Sheet on Legal Planning for Incapacity in Chinese Updated

Being incapacitated can happen to anyone at anytime. Having the proper legal documents completed and available to family and medical professionals will help ensure your wishes are clearly articulated and will be followed. These documents will also spare family from having to guess your wishes in case of incapacity.  

The recently updated fact sheet is available in both simplified ( 针对机能不全人士的法律规划) and traditional ( 針對機能不全人士的法律規劃) Chinese characters.

FCA Staff Visits Artists Anna Fitch and Banker White

Artists Anna Fitch and Banker White hosted FCA staff for a behind-the-scenes look at their newest project, Heaven Through the Backdoor. Heaven Through the Backdoor documents the story of Yolanda Shae, a fiercely independent woman who chose to approach end of life on her own terms.

Anna Fitch is an Emmy Award-winning director and Banker White is a multi-disciplinary artist and filmmaker. Their work includes The Genius of Marian , a Rosalinde Gilbert Innovations in Alzheimer’s Disease Caregiving Legacy Award winner . 

FCA is Hiring

FCA is hiring! We’re looking for qualified and interested applicants to fill a current opening in our San Francisco office for a Social Worker - Family Consultant position. For more information and to apply  click here . FCA is also seeking a part-time volunteer  Junior Accountant .

Enroll in IDEA — Program Designed to Reduce Stress and Increase Activity for the LGBTQ Caregiving Community   

IDEA (Innovations in Dementia Empowerment and Action) is a program designed to improve the quality of life of LGBTQ adults living with memory loss and their caregivers. Participants will meet with a coach to learn exercises and strategies related to memory loss. The program includes nine in-person sessions and participants are compensated for their time. For more information, and to apply to participate in IDEA, please click here.

To be eligible for IDEA, the adult with memory loss or their caregiver must be LGBT. Participants must live in the San Francisco, Los Angeles, or Seattle metropolitan areas. 

Recent Webinar Focuses on Tips for Advance Care Planning

Get the health care you want based on what matters most. This webinar will discuss how to talk about your wishes for care with the important people in your life, and cover how to choose someone to make health care decisions for you if you are unable to do so. The webinar will also cover how to write down your wishes using Advance Heath Care Directives and the Physician Order for Life Sustaining Treatment. Click here to view a recording.

Caregiving With Your Siblings During the Holidays

“I’m really worried about the holidays. I’ve got everything under control with my Mom and Dad. Then my sisters and their families come. I tell them that Mom and Dad tire easily and to make sure the grandkids don’t exhaust them. But they don’t listen to me. Mom and Dad can’t say no, everything gets crazy, and I’m the one who has to deal with the resulting mess.”

For caregivers in a similar situation, FCA’s blog post by Francine Russo may help you weather the arrival of visiting siblings. Ms. Russo’s advice includes accepting that there will be disruption, being comfortable with delegating tasks to siblings, and making changes to unmanageable meal traditions.

The Important Thing to Do Before Leaving the Hospital

Managing the hospitalization of a family member, relative, or friend is a common responsibility for family caregivers. During these stressful times, a lot of planning and advocacy is usually required on the part of the caregiver. Next Avenue authors Dr. Jeffrey Schnipper and Carol Levine explain medication reconciliation, the process used to help avoid prescription medication errors, and a critical task that needs to be completed before discharge.

Article co-author Carol Levine was a presenter on FCA webinar "Discharge Planning is a Family Affair" on hospital discharge planning. The webinar can be viewed here .

Family and Medical Leave: How to Tell Your Boss You Need Time Off

The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) is a federal program that applies to about 40 percent of US employees.Under FMLA, eligible employees can take a maximum of 12 weeks of unpaid leave to provide care to a newborn, child, parent, or spouse. AARP's Kim Keister explains in detail the Family and Medical Leave Act and offers practical suggestions on how to approach a supervisor on FMLA.

Information on the nine states that offer or will offer paid family leave can be read here .

Caregiver Conversations — A Day of Learning, Support, and Information Exchange

Caregiver Conversations is a special event for family and friends caring for an adult living with complex illness, professionals serving caregivers, and Alameda County residents who wish to learn more about family caregiving. Rita Choula, AARP diversity and caregiving expert, will be the keynote speaker. A continental breakfast and lunch will be included. Respite grants are available.

When: Friday, January 24, 2020, from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.(registration starts at 8:30 a.m.)

Where:   California Endowment, Laurel room

200 Franklin Street, Oakland 94612 (free parking available — near BART)

Cost: No charge

Registration: Coming soon

This special caregiver convening is made possible by the generous support of the Thomas J. Long Foundation .

It Takes Two! A Refreshing Approach to Understanding and Coping With Dementia Behavior

This free four week class offers new skills and tools for family caregivers who care for a loved one with Alzheimer’s disease or related dementias. It Takes Two! offers the opportunity to learn more about your relative or friend’s ability to understand and communicate, new skills to handle troubling behavior, and how to feel more confident and positive about your caregiving role.

Pre-registration is required. This class is for family caregivers specifically, not providers.

When: Thursdays, February 13, 20, 27, and March 5, from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.

Where: San Leandro Senior Center   

13909 East 14th Street, San Leandro 94578

Cost: No charge

Registration: Calvin Hu,  [email protected], (415) 434-3388 x 313

FCA’s   Facebook page   offers articles and posts of interest for family caregivers. Please follow our page at www.facebook.com/FamilyCaregiverAlliance .

Headlines From the October 2019 Caregiving Policy Digest

The entire October 2019 issue is available  here .

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.

Professional Research

Graduate Student Research

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.

Your donation makes all the difference!

Follow FCA on Social Media!

101 Montgomery Street | Suite 2150 | San Francisco, CA 94104

Phone: (800) 445-8106 | Email: [email protected]

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.

Visit  caregiver.org   today and  JOIN!