The 2022 National Strategy to Support Family Caregivers was created to support family caregivers of all ages, from youth to grandparents, regardless of where they live or what caregiving looks like for them and their loved ones. It offers 150 practical steps states/communities/the private sector can take to build a system that ensures family caregivers have what they need to maintain their health, well-being, and financial security.
Components of the National Strategy
- 2022 National Strategy to Support Family Caregivers – An overview and description of the strategy’s goals and intended outcomes
- First Principles: Cross-Cutting Considerations for Family Caregiver Support – Describes the four key principles that must be reflected in all efforts to improve support to family caregivers
- Federal Actions – Nearly 350 actions that 15 federal agencies will take in the near term to begin to implement the strategy.
- Actions for States, Communities, and Others – More than 150 actions others can take.
The strategy is intended to serve as a national roadmap for better recognizing and supporting family and kinship caregivers of all ages, backgrounds, and caregiving situations. It includes nearly 350 actions the federal government will take to support family caregivers in the coming years and more than 150 actions that can be adopted at other levels of government and across the private sector to build a system to support family caregivers.
Each year, around 53 million people provide a broad range of assistance to support the health, quality of life and independence of a person close to them who needs assistance as they age or due to a disability or chronic health condition. Another 2.7 million grandparent caregivers – and an unknown number of other relative caregivers – open their arms and homes each year to millions of children who cannot remain with their parents. Millions of older adults and people with disabilities would not be able to live in their communities without this essential support – and replacing it with paid services would cost an estimated $470 billion each year.
While family caregiving is rewarding, it can be challenging, and when caregivers do not have the support they need, their health, wellbeing and quality of life often suffer. Their financial future can also be put at risk; lost income due to family caregiving is estimated at $522 billion each year. When the challenges become overwhelming and family caregivers no longer can provide support, the people they care for often are left with no choices except moving to nursing homes and other institutions or to foster care – the cost of which is typically borne by taxpayers.
The strategy was developed jointly by the advisory councils created by the RAISE Family Caregiving Act and the Supporting Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Act, with extensive input from the public, including family caregivers and the people they support. It will be updated in response to public comments and will evolve with the caregiving landscape.
We hope this information is helpful to you in the important work you do as a family caregiver.
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