WellMed Charitable Foundation supports federal advisory council recommendations for improved recognition, support of family caregivers

By Christy Romero on September 22nd, 2021

Washington D.C. (September 22, 2021) — A congressionally mandated council that received input from the WellMed Charitable Foundation delivered recommendations to policymakers on how to better support family caregivers, including a call for financial and workplace security and expanding home and community-based services, among other actions.

The RAISE (Recognize, Assist, Include, Support, and Engage) Family Caregiving Advisory Council—comprised of family caregivers, healthcare experts and others—developed the recommendations after a two-year, multifaceted effort with support from the WellMed Charitable Foundation. The recommendations fall under five goals, which include:

• Increasing Awareness of Family Caregivers to increase public understanding of the contributions caregivers make, including helping individuals self-identify as caregivers so that they can get the support they need.
• Engaging Family Caregivers as Partners in Healthcare and Long-Term Services and Supports to better integrate family caregivers into healthcare processes and systems.
• Improving Access to Services and Supports for Family Caregivers including counseling, respite care, peer support, training on common in-home medical tasks, and practical assistance like transportation. Also included is a recommendation for strengthening the paid caregiver workforce.
• Supporting Financial and Workplace Security for Family Caregivers to decrease the impact family caregiving can have on the financial well-being and professional lives of caregivers.
• Generating Research, Data, and Evidence-Informed Practices to help create policies and interventions that meaningfully help family caregivers.

According to AARP and the National Alliance for Caregiving, about 53 million people provide a broad range of assistance to support the health, quality of life, and independence of someone close to them each year. An estimated one in six individuals are family caregivers today, and more than two-thirds of people will need assistance with tasks as they age.

The WellMed Charitable Foundation works with family caregivers across the country with wellness, information, support and education that reflect the goals of the RAISE committee recommendations. The Foundation recognizes caregivers through the Caregiver SOS on Air podcasts, giving caregivers a trusted voice. It supports and engages family caregivers through Caregiver SOS evidence-based and evidence-informed programs, available at no cost to ensure access.   

“A comprehensive set of policies and supports is long overdue for tens of millions of people living in the United States that either care for or are cared for by a family member,” said Carol Zernial, executive director of the WellMed Charitable Foundation. “The recommendations from the RAISE Family Caregiving Advisory Council can positively impact these caregivers of older adults, and people with intellectual, mobility and developmental disabilities. The incredible burden on family caregivers affects them, and those they care for, financially, physically and emotionally. It’s time for caregivers to get the resources and recognition they need to better provide care with dignity, compassion and love.

The council’s recommendations serve as the foundation of the forthcoming National Strategy to Support Family Caregivers. The strategy will drive increased recognition and support for family caregivers by proposing specific actions that can be taken at the federal and state levels, by local communities, philanthropic organizations and educational bodies, as well as healthcare and long-term services providers. The strategy will provide a roadmap for the nation to strengthen its support and recognition of the critical role family caregivers of all ages play in healthcare and long-term support systems.

The council was established as part of the RAISE Act (Recognizing, Assisting, Including, Supporting, and Engaging Family Caregivers), which passed Congress in 2018.

In addition to the participation and support of the WellMed Charitable Foundation, The John A. Hartford Foundation and the National Academy for State Health Policy provided support for the RAISE Family Caregiving Advisory Council with resources, technical assistance, and policy analysis.

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CONTACT:  Carol Zernial, czernial@wellmed.net; 210-877-7719

About the WellMed Charitable Foundation

The WellMed Charitable Foundation is a non-profit 501(C)3 organization that supports seniors and their caregivers with special emphasis on wellness, prevention and living with chronic illness.  Established in 2006 by Dr. George M. Rapier III, a noted physician and the Chairman of the Board, the Foundation oversees several initiatives benefiting seniors and caregivers, including Caregiver SOS resource centers, the Caregiver Teleconnection, and senior center health and wellness programs. For more information visit www.wellmedcharitablefoundation.org.

About the RAISE Family Caregiving Advisory Council

The Family Caregiving Advisory Council (the Council) was established by the Recognize, Assist, Include, Support and Engage (RAISE) Family Caregivers Act and convened for the first time in August 2019. The Council includes representation by federal agencies and 15 voting members, including family caregivers; older adults who need long-term services and supports; individuals with disabilities; health care and social service providers; providers of long-term services and supports; employers; paraprofessional workers; state local officials; accreditation bodies; veterans; and as appropriate, other experts and advocacy organizations engaged in family caregiving. The Council is charged with providing recommendations to the Secretary of Health and Human Services on effective models of both family caregiving and support to family caregivers, as well as improving coordination across federal government programs. For more information, visit www.acl.gov/RAISE.