Foundation for

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• Foundation for
• American Health Care Leadership
• Promoting and Enabling Healthy Choices
• Linking the Desire for Health
• with the Decisions Tools that Support Health
• Suzanne Mintz, President/Co-founder
• NATIONAL FAMILY
• CAREGIVERS ASSOCIATION
• www.thefamilycaregiver.org
• 1/800 896 3650

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NFCA

• NFCA is the nations leading grassroots
  organization in support of all family caregivers.
  NFCA educates, supports, empowers, and speaks up
  for the millions of Americans who care for
  chronically ill, aged, or disabled loved ones.
• NFCA reaches across the boundaries of different
  diagnoses, different relationships and different
  life stages to address the common needs and
  concerns of all family caregivers.

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Family Caregiving TodayBasic Facts

• More than 50 million Americans
• Over ½ provide on average 20 hours of care per
  week or more
• 80 of all homecare services
• Conservative market value 257 billion annually
• more than twice what is spend on nursing
  homes and paid homecare combines comparable to
  all Medicare spending 2002.
• Typical FCG woman 46 yrs old, employed, caring
  for mom who lives elsewhere

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Financial Impact

• Lower incomes than typical American family 43
  less than 30K compared to 35
• Out of pocket medical expenses 2.5 times higher
  11.2 percent of income.

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Health Impact

• As many as 59 prone to clinical depression
• Multiple studies have shown immune system impact,
  and in some cases increased mortality.
• Most recent findings Stress of family caregiving
  can cause premature aging, as much as 10 years.

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A Vision for the Future

• At NFCA we envision an America in which
• patients and their families are at the center of
  all healthcare planning
• care for those with chronic conditions is
  holistic and integrated --- across medical and
  social settings, regardless of age or economic
  status
• the contributions of family caregivers to the
  welfare of their loved ones and to society is
  recognized and supported so that family
  caregivers no longer need to sacrifice their own
  health and wellness to provide care.

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Self Identified FCGMotivated But Not Enabled

• Believe self care very important yet self care
  declines with family caregiving.
• Regular exercise decreases by 50
• Doctor visits to check out a perceived health
  problem decrease by 33.
• The experience doesnt move people to plan for
  their own future - 45 not at all, and only 29 a
  little bit.

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Non Self- Identified FCG Not Even Motivated

• Family Caregiving Its Not All Up to You
• www.familycaregiving101.org
• A Public Education Campaign Designed to
• Help Family Caregivers Recognize Their Own Risk
  and Seek Help to Be Better Caregivers

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Things We Are Seeing

• Parents who have relocated for retirement are
  moving closer to their kids
• Aging women are talking about congregate housing
  as a way to continue to be independent while also
  living in community.
• Olmstead decision creating a base of more
  home/community-based services enabling the
  concept of aging in place. (Bring services to me,
  not me to services)

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Things to Think About

• No matter how healthy our life style, sooner or
  later we will get at least one chronic condition.
  After the golden years come the rust years.
• There are far fewer Gen Xers than there are
  boomers, and the healthcare worker shortage will
  not be eradicated any time soon. Who will provide
  care?
• Living longer means needing more money for a
  longer period of time. EBRI says most of us wont
  have it.
• Medical science moves at the speed of sound.
  Social and systems changes move glacially. How
  can our institutions respond in meaningful ways?

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More Things to Think About

• Americans values youth, beauty, and comfort. Can
  we scare people into action using chronological
  vs real age comparisons and life with savings vs
  not enough savings comparisons?
• Membership in the Hemlock Society is on the rise.
  Is choosing the time of our death the ultimate
  act of control and a very pragmatic present to
  give our kids? (half joking not sure how
  serious)

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National Family Caregivers Association

• For more information on
• Helping Family Caregivers Become Advocates and
  Building a Family Caregiver Activist Movement
• Contact NFCA
• 1/800 896 3650
• www.thefamilycaregiver.org