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Vol. 15, No. 11
November 2024
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Dear Friends:
November is National Family Caregivers Month, a time to come together to honor and support family caregivers. While there are tens of millions providing care across the country, each caregiver has their own unique journey. To recognize this diversity of experiences, FCA's focus for November is “Every Caregiver has a Story.”
Over the years we've been honored by caregivers who have shared their setbacks and successes. We hope fellow caregivers recognize, as they read these accounts, that they are not alone, and are facing many of the same challenges as their caregiving peers. Caregiver stories also help bring awareness of the struggles and plight of caregivers to the public, policy makers, and elected officials. Laws supporting caregivers, budget funding, community services, and research can all come from this increased awareness.
To family caregivers across the country, we hope you are making progress in practicing self-care daily, creating a network of family and friends to lessen the caregiving workload, and figuring out a sustainable “caregiving/life” balance. Please contact us or visit our website if you are in need of resources or support.
Sincerely,
Calvin Hu
Education Coordinator
edprograms@caregiver.org
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“We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope.”
— Martin Luther King, Jr.
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FCA Is Here to Support You
November 14, 2024
A message from Kathy Kelly, Executive Director, Family Caregiver Alliance
The recent election has created a whole host of emotions among FCA’s clients and professional partners. As we celebrate National Family Caregivers Month, FCA stands by our mission today and year-round, to improve the quality of life for family/friend caregivers and for the people who receive their care. We recognize that caregivers bring their full selves to this important role. Your unique experiences and needs are at the core of everything we do, and we are committed to providing the resources and support you deserve.
We are regularly reminded that every caregiver has their own story to tell and deserves to be seen and served as an individual. Our services continue to evolve to meet these needs, with an ever-expanding array of online resources, virtual events, and ongoing improvements to our digital platforms. A recent addition to our educational offerings is, “Improving Practice: Working with Diverse Family Caregivers” a new class we prepared for professionals that includes first-person interviews on a variety of topics including the experience of caregivers who are LGBTQ+ individuals, immigrants, those with limited English literacy, Black/African American, Asian, Hispanic and more.
This is all to say that we are here to support you. As always don’t hesitate to contact us now and throughout your caregiving journey.
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Caregiver Stories
This National Family Caregivers Month, FCA is highlighting caregiver stories. These stories detail the pain and joy, mixed emotions, and raw experiences that caregivers across the country are doing their best to manage. Our recent blog post features stories with themes including burnout and depression; interrupted lives; hope; and pain and disease management. The post also features caregiver resources for those seeking additional support for common caregiver challenges.
FCA’s website also hosts an archive of caregiver stories here.
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FCA Offers a new Program for Those Caring for People With Dementia
If you’re a San Francisco Bay Area resident caring someone with dementia who is enrolled in traditional Medicare as primary insurance, we have a new free program that can help you with navigating care. FCA has partnered with Tembo Health to offer the innovative GUIDE program.
The GUIDE program makes managing dementia easier by providing support services, coordination, and clinical care.
Learn more on our news page.
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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.
To learn more, click here or register here.
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Caregiving and the holidays: from stress to success!
The holiday season is right around the corner. For family caregivers this can mean increased stress, financial burdens (costs of holiday food and gifts), interruptions of carefully calibrated routines, and criticism from relatives about care provided. For those caregivers who experience holiday specific caregiving challenges, this short FCA resource provides tips and guidance to help minimize holiday stress.
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Advance Directives and Living Wills: Bringing Up Sensitive Topics
Planning for end of life or incapacity is an important responsibility for all adults 18 and over. For caregivers, it allows the person you are caring for to have control over the healthcare decisions that may affect them. Planning for the end of life can also lead to peace of mind for both caregivers and those receiving care as wishes and values will be known beforehand, and do not have to be guessed at during an emergency. For those who are uncomfortable talking about this subject with the person they are caring for, FCA’s “Bringing up Sensitive Topics” will provide information and help you get started.
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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.
For more information on Novemb events, please click here.
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No Power, Water or Internet. What I Learned Caregiving for My Mother During Our 13-Day Power Outage
Being a caregiver can be challenging in the best of times, but what about during a natural disaster? Without water and power for almost two weeks, Sara Murphy, writing for AARP, details the lessons learned from her time caregiving during Hurricane Helene.
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What to Do When a Family Member Wants to Leave Assisted Living
There may come a time when you have determined that the person you are caring for can no longer live at home safely. An assisted living facility may be the solution to this difficult situation. Next Avenue’s Michele C. Hollow shares expert advice and the experience of an anonymous caregiver on this option for caregivers.
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CAREGIVERS CONNECT:
FCA EVENTS
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Let’s Get Away, Together
This series is comprised of interactive sessions with each week focusing on a new place or cultural activity, while incorporating storytelling, music, poetry writing, and/or a simple craft. Each session will include a follow-up 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.
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.
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November 26
Let’s Embrace Dance Festivals Around the World!
December 3
Let’s Discover Unusual and Surprising Cameras & Their Unique Stories!
December 10
Let’s Travel to Portugal!
Discover culture, food, community, and special music components!
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December 17
Let’s Learn About and Explore Unusual Baby Animals!
December 24
Let’s Celebrate the Winter Solstice & Other Winter Events!
December 31
Let’s Welcome the New Year with Music!
Sing along to "Auld Lang Syne" and other classic tunes!
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When: Tuesdays, November 26 to December 31, from 1 to 2 p.m. (Pacific time)
Where: ONLINE
Cost: No charge
Registration: Click here
This class is funded by Alameda County Department of Adult and Aging Services, Contra Costa County Area Agency on Aging, the City of San Francisco’s Department of Disability and Aging Services, San Mateo County Aging and Adult Services, Sourcewise, and the California Department of Aging.
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There Must Be A Better Way Than This!
This 2-hour class will help participants understand what dementia is, and the challenging behaviors that sometimes accompany the disease. We will review strategies to help handle these behaviors and help enhance your communication with the person who has dementia.
Please note this class will not be recorded.
Registration is only open to non-professional caregivers (family members and friends) who live in the following counties: Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, San Francisco, San Mateo, and Santa Clara.
When: Thursday, December 5, from 1 to 3 p.m. (PT)
Where: ONLINE
Cost: No charge
Registration: Click here
This class is funded by Alameda County Department of Adult and Aging Services, Contra Costa County Area Agency on Aging, the City of San Francisco’s Department of Disability and Aging Services, San Mateo County Aging and Adult Services, Sourcewise, and the California Department of Aging.
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Caregiving Policy Digest is a publication of the National Center on Caregiving, a program of Family Caregiver Alliance. The newsletter offers a fresh look at the rapidly changing world of caregiving policy―at the local, national, and international levels.
You’ll receive briefings on key legislation, news on innovative public programs, and the latest information on caregiving and long-term care policy at national and state levels. Subscribe here.
Click here to view archived issues of Policy Digest.
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Professional Research Listings
Graduate Student Research Listings
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Thank you!
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!
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CONNECTIONS CREDITS
Editors: Calvin Hu, Al Martinez
Contributors: Kathleen Kelly, Executive Director, Calvin Hu, Ingrid Olivar, Leah Eskenazi
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BOARD OF DIRECTORS
President: Ian Tong
Vice President: Karen Sperling
Treasurer: Keely Stevenson
Secretary: Amanda Breeden Warner
Athan Bezaitis, Amber Christ, Deborah Kan, Shruti Kothari, Mary Ellen Kullman, Scott Peifer, Tiffany Riser, Wyatt Ritchie, Marda Stothers, Celine Takatsuno.
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235 Montgomery Street | Suite 930 | San Francisco, CA 94104
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