JANUARY 2010 NEWSLETTER - IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR FAMILY CAREGIVERS

National Family Caregivers Association

January 2010 — KEEP UP WITH THE LATEST IN THE HEALTH REFORM DEBATE

With the status of healthcare reform legislation before Congress changing on a day-by-day basis, keeping up with the latest news and information may seem like a daunting task. Kaiser Health News (KHN) is a nonprofit news organization committed to in-depth coverage of healthcare policy and politics. The KHN Web site features daily summaries of major healthcare news from across the nation. KHN is a major program of the nonprofit Kaiser Family Foundation. The latest healthcare reform news HERE.

It's not too late to speak up to members of Congress by sharing your story and letting them know that healthcare reform is good for family caregivers. Here is contact information for your senators and representative.

NEARLY ONE-THIRD OF U.S. ADULTS ARE FAMILY CAREGIVERS

Caregiving is still mostly a woman's job and many women are putting their career and financial futures on hold as they juggle part-time caregiving and full-time job requirements. This is the reality reported in Caregiving in the U.S. 2009, the most comprehensive examination to date of caregiving in America. The sweeping study of the legions of people caring for adults, the elderly, and children with special needs reveals that 29% of the U.S. adult population, or 65.7 million people, are caregivers, including 31% of all households. These caregivers provide an average of 20 hours of care per week.

Caregiving in the U.S. was conducted for the National Alliance for Caregiving in collaboration with AARP. The study replicates similar studies conducted in 2004 and 1997 and includes, for the first time, a sampling of those caring for children as well as those caring for adults over the age of 18.

Among the study's findings:

Ø American caregivers are predominantly female (66%) and are an average of 48 years old. Most care for a relative (86%), most often a parent (36%).

Ø Seven in 10 caregivers care for someone over age 50.

Ø One in seven caregivers provides care, over and above regular parenting, to a child with special needs (14%).

Ø Caregiving lasts an average of 4.6 years.

Ø One in six caregivers (17%) reports that caregiving has had a negative impact on their health.

Read more about caregiving in the U.S., here.

ACCESS BOOKS WITHOUT BARRIERS

Bookshare is an online library of digital books for people who have difficulty reading print publications. It operates under an exception to U.S. copyright law that allows copyrighted digital books to be made available to people with qualifying disabilities, including visual impairments, physical disabilities, and learning disabilities. Bookshare members download books, textbooks and newspapers in a compressed, encrypted file. They can then read the material using adaptive technology, typically software that reads the book aloud (text-to-speech) and/or displays the text of the book on a computer screen, or Braille access devices, such as refreshable Braille displays.

Through an award from the U.S. Department of Education Office of Special Education Programs, Bookshare offers free memberships to U.S. schools and qualifying U.S. students. Individual and organizational memberships are also available here.

ASTRAZENECA MAKES CHANGES TO ITS AZ&ME PRESCRIPTION SAVINGS PROGRAM

The AZ&Me Prescription Savings Program has announced the following changes, effective January 1, 2010: The AZ&Me Prescription Savings program for people with Medicare Part D will be changing from a retail pharmacy-based program to a mail-order program where eligible patients will receive their AstraZeneca medicines at no-cost; patients will now be required to provide proof of income documentation; enrollment and re-enrollment for the AZ&Me Prescription Savings program for people without insurance and for people with Medicare Part D will be available online. Patients will have the ability to refill and check the status of enrollment or refill online here and, for those who prefer completing a hard-copy application, the AZ&Me Prescription Savings program will now offer one streamlined application, in English and Spanish.

If you are an individual making $30,000 or less or a family of four making $60,000 or less you may qualify for an AZ&Me Prescription Savings program. You can download the application here or call 800/AzandMe (292-6363) to request an application in the mail.

TAKE CARE! IS GOING ELECTRONIC

NFCA is launching a new, easy-to-access version of our quarterly publication, TAKE CARE! Starting with the spring 2010 issue, we will launch an electronic version of TAKE CARE! that will appear in your e-mail as a vibrant, interactive e-newsletter that provides you with easy access to additional information and links to the resources that can make your life a bit easier. This new electronic version of TAKE CARE! will automatically appear in your e-mail and you will be able to print it out for free.

To ensure that you receive the electronic version of the newsletter, NFCA must have your e-mail address. Don't delay. Send an e-mail today to newsletter (at) thefamilycaregiver.org

MAKE YOUR 2010 NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTIONS

NFCA wants to remind you that when you think about your resolutions for 2010, make sure you include a few for your own physical and mental health and well-being. Here are some ideas from NFCA's "10 Tips for Family Caregivers":

Caregiving is a job and respite is your earned right. Reward yourself with respite breaks often.

Watch out for signs of depression, and don't delay in getting professional help when you need it.

When people offer to help, accept the offer and suggest specific things that they can do.

Educate yourself about your loved one's condition and how to communicate effectively with doctors.

There's a difference between caring and doing. Be open to technologies and ideas that promote your loved one's independence.

Trust your instincts. Most of the time they'll lead you in the right direction.

Caregivers often do a lot of lifting, pushing, and pulling. Be good to your back.

Grieve for your losses, and then allow yourself to dream new dreams.

Seek support from other caregivers. There is great strength in knowing you are not alone.

Stand up for your rights as a caregiver and a citizen.

Access more of NFCAs tips and tools for family caregivers here.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

We wish you and your family a healthy and peaceful 2010. Make sure that this year you continue to Speak Up for your loved one AND yourself.